APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The College of Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory at The Pennsylvania State University seeks to fill a full-time Laboratory Analyst position for the water and environmental testing programs beginning in January 2025. The Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory (AASL) supports the education, research, and extension missions of the College of Agricultural Sciences by providing analytical testing and research-based recommendations to inform sustainable resource management decisions. The laboratory offers testing programs for agricultural, horticultural, and environmental materials, including soil, manure, biosolids, compost, plant tissue, and water. The laboratory is accredited for drinking water and environmental testing by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.

This position will work primarily in the laboratory’s water and environmental testing programs but will assist in other areas as needed. Requires attention to detail and the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced work environment. Typical duties include sample receipt, chain of custody documentation and worklist generation, preparation of samples for analysis (subsampling, filtration, preservation), preparation of sample kits, reagents and standards, operation of analytical instrumentation and equipment, and generation and review of data reports. Assays performed by the position include total, suspended dissolved solids, total coliform and E. coli, pH, alkalinity, ion chromatography, turbidity and trace element testing.

Required Experience and Education:

Bachelor's degree in biology, chemistry, agricultural, or environmental science, or a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Candidates should be proficient in the use of MS Excel and Word and have experience using relational databases.

Additional Preferred Education and Experience:

Preference will be given to candidates with laboratory experience testing water, environmental or agricultural samples.

This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.