Microbiology Laboratory Technician

About Us:

Avails Medical, Inc. is a medical device start-up, based in Menlo Park, California. At Avails we are developing a novel electrical point-of-care bio-sensor platform for rapid infectious disease detection and antibiotic susceptibility testing.

Description: This is a full-time position

As part of our ongoing growth, we have an opening for a full-time Microbiology Lab Technician. Under supervisor or senior technical support direction the Lab Tech for Microbiology will assist and process specimens and load them onto testing instruments; assist in instrument maintenance; assist in general laboratory prep and maintenance; archive samples after analysis; monitor equipment temperature readings; participate in test development and ad-hoc projects as directed.

Responsibilities:

• Culturing and maintenance of bacterial cell cultures, ensuring proper growth conditions and viability
• Prepare lab supplies and equipment for experiments.
• Preparing and aliquoting of antibiotic stocks, reagents, media, and buffers aseptically
• Decontamination and cleaning of labware, general lab cleaning and maintenance, and lab equipment maintenance
• Restocks and/or distributes supplies to the appropriate areas of the lab
• Maintain logs and QC records for laboratory equipment in accordance with company and regulatory requirements.
• May assist in processing specimens for testing and recording test results in an organized fashion.
• May assist and perform a variety of bacterial experiments and testing in collaboration with other technicians, research associates, scientists, and engineers.
• Effectively communicates project status to supervisor, peers and other staff.
• Performs other duties as needed.
• In addition to an employee’s typical work schedule, this position may require employees to work weekends, split shifts, varying shift schedules, and holidays if needed by the Company.

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Microbiology or related field with basic microbiology lab experience.
• Basic experience in Microbiology, in particular, aseptic technique and microbiological sub-culturing.
• Preference for experience in an industrial microbiology or related laboratory environment, such as working in Biosafety Level-2 (BSL-2) rated spaces.

Required Skills:

• Proficient in Microsoft Excel
• Excellent aseptic technique

Personal Traits:

• Problem solving and trouble-shooting skills to work with colleagues to identify and execute appropriate experimental design to generate accurate data.
• Strong team player, with a collaborative and helpful mindset.
• Ability to work independently with supervision to execute detailed tasks, operations, procedures, and experiments while maintaining a safe, effective microbiology laboratory.
• Some flexibility required for evening and/or weekend shift