Laboratory Assistant II

Position Title:

Laboratory Assistant II

Job Group:

Merit

Required Minimum Qualifications:

• Any combination of clerical office experience, undergraduate education, and/or post high school clerical training that is the equivalent to one year of full-time employment.

Special Required Qualifications

Must have accurate color recognition

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working in a clinical, research, or diagnostic laboratory setting.

Familiarity with laboratory safety protocols and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Prior experience with handling specimens.

Degree related to animal science or related field.

Job Description:

Are you someone who enjoys hands-on work, staying organized, and supporting scientific processes behind the scenes? We’re looking for a dependable and detail-focused Lab Assistant II to help keep our laboratory operations running efficiently and safely. If you’re motivated by routine, precision, and teamwork, this role could be a great fit for you.

What You’ll Do:

• Receive, sort, and accession biopsy specimens using specialized software, ensuring accurate data entry and proper handling with PPE.
• Distribute departmental mail twice daily, meeting strict delivery times at 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
• Maintain lab cleanliness and organization by sanitizing workstations, discarding waste properly, and cleaning small equipment.
• Support lab staff with basic experiments, reagent preparation, and assembling specimen collection kits for clients.
• Organize specimen archives and teaching samples, and occasionally answer lab phone calls, relaying messages to the supervisor.

You’ll work closely with laboratory personnel and supervisors, and occasionally assist with client-facing tasks related to specimen kit preparation.

Additional Details:

• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• This is an on-site position; remote work is not available.
• PPE and biosafety training will be provided.

About Our Department:

Our laboratory team supports clinical and research efforts through accurate specimen handling and efficient lab operations. We take pride in maintaining a clean, organized, and collaborative environment where every team member plays a vital role in the success of our work.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

• Codes, tabulates, posts, and enters fiscal, statistical and other data.

• May use credit card machines, bar code systems, computers, or cash registers.

• Assembles standard forms, correspondence, records, and maintains associated files.

• Prepares, proofs, collects, copies, and cross checks routine documents and generates summary reports.

• Matches receipts/tickets to statements and maintains account records and other office records.

• Gathers, collates, processes requests, and classifies information according to established guidelines, requiring independent judgment in the selection of materials and using a variety of communicative sources.

• Greets and assists the public, patients, students, faculty and staff and provides information relative to the area of assignment and according to established guidelines.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of office routines and functions sufficient to relay factual information to visitors and telephone callers and to direct communications.

• Skill in operating office equipment.

• Ability to operate a personal computer and related software.

• Ability to communicate effectively with staff, students, and the public.

• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.

• Ability to perform routine arithmetic computations.

• Ability to collect data, keep accurate records, and prepare reports.

• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks.

Appointment Type:

Regular

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

0005a

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship. Immigration