Teaching Lab Assistant (60% FTE, Sessional)

Date Posted: 05/28/2025
Req ID: 43135
Faculty/Division: Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering
Department: Institute of Biomedical Engineering
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00052466

About us:

The Institute of Biomedical Engineering (BME) is a multidisciplinary research community where investigators across engineering, medicine and dentistry collaborate to develop innovative solutions that address global challenges in human health. Located in the heart of Canada’s largest health-care research network, our faculty offer quality education to students who receive training in biomedical and clinical engineering. These highly experienced faculty have been involved in launching more than 20 start-up companies and driving three major biomedical engineering commercialization ventures.

Your opportunity:

Under the direction of the Lab Coordinator, the Teaching Lab Assistant provides services to the undergraduate teaching lab by helping with the preparation of undergraduate experiments setup, and biological and chemical preparation. The Teaching Lab Assistant ensures timely laboratory cleaning and maintenance, adheres to University Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) guidelines for hazardous waste disposal, and maintains an accurate chemical inventory while following equipment maintenance SOPs (standard operating procedures). Additionally, the Assistant manages the shipping and receiving of laboratory consumables, equipment, and reagent orders.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Applying established standards when preparing routine samples for laboratory operational requirements
• Applying established standards when preparing material requirements for lab set up based on timetables and requisitions information
• Following rules and procedural instructions when restocking glassware in laboratories and / or storerooms
• Paying close attention to occupational safety precautions to ensure a safe working environment and proper hazardous waste disposal
• Providing orientation to others on work procedures and practices
• Applying established standards when maintaining laboratory inventory, shipping and receiving orders
• Testing and validating draft experiment protocols based on given instructions and communicate results and progress to the coordinator.
• Providing general laboratory maintenance and household duties, including dusting, equipment cleaning and more.

Essential Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or Biotechnology, or acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
• Minimum two years of relevant experience in a teaching lab or high-traffic laboratory environment or equivalent.
• Experience in chemical and equipment inventory management and maintenance.
• Strong experience in general laboratory organization, inventory updates and equipment / glassware clean-up.
• Experience preparing laboratories and reagents to ensure all undergraduate labs are running according to experiment schedule.
• Experience preparing solutions and chemicals for experiments.
• Strong technical skills and familiarity with common lab equipment: pipettors, micropipettes, microscopes, water filtration system and autoclave.
• Strong interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Advanced skills with computer programs such as Office 365, e.g. Word, Excel, purchasing software, web browsers and procurement software such as U-Source.

Assets (Nonessential):

• Experience in basic molecular biology techniques and validation (gel electrophoresis, ELISA, western blot, protein induction / expression) is an asset.
• Experience in photolithography and PDMS-based microfluidics chip fabrication and testing is a strong asset.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Adaptable
• Honest
• Meticulous
• Organized
• Problem solver
• Punctual

Please note: This is a part-time role at 60% FTE, and it is a sessional position from September 1 - April 30 each academic year. For example, this year the start date would be September 1, 2025, and the end date would be April 30, 2026.

Closing Date: 06/08/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Sessional 
Schedule: Part-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:  
USW Pay Band 07 Pro-Rated to 60% FTE -- $35,503 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $45,403. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Engineering / Technical

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.