Laboratory Technician
The role
Main duties and responsabilities:
Laboratory equipment maintenance
Perform basic preventive maintenance and monitor the operational status of laboratory equipment.
Supervise the functioning of equipment such as balances, microscopes, centrifuges, pH meters, vacuum ovens, muffle furnaces, freeze dryers, lab washers, water purification systems, glove boxes, gas manifolds, water baths, cell incubators and other commonly used devices.
Handle first-level technical issues and coordinate repairs/maintenance with external suppliers when required.
Maintain and update equipment usage, maintenance records and logbooks.
Laboratory infrastructure management
Oversee the installation, maintenance and operability of laboratory infrastructure.
Monitor water and gas lines, power outlets, fume hoods, laminar flow cabinets, gas detectors, eye wash stations, refrigerators and other auxiliary systems.
Coordinate the preparation and adaptation of laboratories for new installations, reorganization or commissioning.
Safety and hazard management
Ensure compliance with safety procedures in chemical and biological laboratories.
Supervise proper labelling, chemical storage, ventilation conditions, gas detector functionality and general safety measures.
Support the implementation and monitoring of good laboratory practices.
Provide initial training to newcomers (students, research and/or technical staff) on laboratory safety rules and lab organization.
Laboratory organization and operational management
Develop and maintain databases/inventories for chemicals, biological samples (e.g., cell lines) and consumables.
Manage storage of cell lines in liquid nitrogen phase and refill storage dewars.
Design, implement and maintain cleaning and disinfection procedures for cell laboratories.
Monitor gas supply and manage reordering.
Manage liquid nitrogen supply.
Control inventories and process orders for laboratory consumables (gloves, towels, pipettes, glassware, solvents, reagents, cell culture media and cell culture plasticware, among others).
Procurement, supply and installation coordination
Request quotations and compare offers for the acquisition of equipment and supplies.
Process purchase orders and follow up procurement actions.
Coordinate with suppliers the delivery, installation and commissioning of equipment.
Prepare laboratories and technical spaces for use.
Waste management
Organize and monitor segregation, temporary storage and disposal of laboratory waste (liquid, solid, glass and biological waste), in accordance with internal procedures and applicable regulations.
Training and user support
Provide onboarding training to newcomers on safety rules, laboratory organization and basic operating procedures in chemical and biological laboratories.
Provide technical and operational support to laboratory users in matters related to organization, equipment use and procedural compliance.