Media Preparation Lab Assistant - Microbiology

Analytical Resource Laboratories (ARL) is a third-party contract laboratory specializing in microbiological and chemical testing of food, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. ARL has been offering analytical testing services for 23 years. We are looking for a team member with experience in microbiology or closely related fields, who is highly motivated, has great desire to learn, a quick learner, competent, meticulous, tech-savvy with excellent communication and organizational skills, personable, and proactive individual who is willing to wear multiples hats and embrace a "can-do" attitude to join our laboratory.

Our team is seeking a team player who can thrive in a fast-paced and high pressured work environment to join our robust, hardworking, intelligent, responsible, adaptive, positive, accountable, and amazing team! The successful candidate has the drive to thrive in a fast-paced, high pressured work environment. This is an excellent entry-level position for ambitious individuals to gain valuable experience and grow professionally in a third-party laboratory industry. 

WORK SCHEDULE: Flexible to negotiate prior to hire, 3 days/week minimum and 30 hours/week maximum.

General Job Description

While working closely with a Team Lead and/or under the supervision of the Laboratory Manager, you will be responsible for the following primary duties and responsibilities:

Media Preparation & Laboratory Testing

• Prepare and validate media and consumables for microbiological testing
• Assist in processing samples and perform routine and entry-level laboratory testing, as needed
  
• Complete sample preparation and testing in a timely manner according to approved SOPs and correct techniques
• Perform growth promotion testing and pH testing

Sample Handling & Identification

• Classify and label samples according to established protocols

Laboratory Records & Documentation

• Maintain proper laboratory records
• Communicate testing status and issues verbally and in writing
  
• Report work progress and state of preparation for testing
• Document all activities and results and report back to the supervisor

Inventory & Resource Management

• Maintain adequate laboratory inventory of media, reagants, and consumables

Equipment & Instrumentation

• Demonstrate knowledge and ongoing training in maintaining analytical instruments and laboratory equipment

Quality, Compliance & Safety

• Accountable and responsible for proper laboratory practices
• Adhere to all GLP, GMP, and ISO regulations related to job duties
• Comply with all ARL workplace policies, procedures, and health and safety regulations

Laboratory Housekeeping & Waste Management

• Clean and sterilize the laboratory workspace and equipment
• Provide support for lab-specific waste management
  
• Maintain laboratory cleanliness at all times

Training & Professional Development

• Successfully complete all required training, including skills and proficiency testing, within required timeframes
• Stay informed of industry trends, techniques, and best practices

Special Assignments

• Complete special projects as assigned

Expectations & Requirements

Education & Certification

• Minimum: High school diploma, and minimal laboratory experience AND currently matriculated in a university while majoring in Microbiology or a closely related field

Skills & Competencies

• Competency in industry-specific or industry-related laboratory techniques and procedures
• Clear understanding of the importance of maintaining a clean workspace by following approved procedures and laboratory regulations for testing, health, and safety.
• Good understanding of laboratory information systems and laboratory equipment
• In-depth knowledge and advanced understanding of laboratory techniques and procedures
• Knowledge of the metric system, scientific applications, experimental design, and data evaluation
• Ability to work in a GMP/GLP environment
• Strong attention to detail
• Critical and analytical thinking
• Strong work and professional ethics
• Excellent communication and a high level of emotional and social intelligence
• Commitment to building excellence and being an active contributor to a growing laboratory

Physical & Scheduling Requirements

• Able to lift 30 to 50 lbs.
• Able to converse fluently in English, verbally and in writing
• Able to complete work on time and meet changing scheduling demands, depending on sample load
• Able to work closely and cooperatively with leadership
• Available 5 days a week, including weekends as assigned by supervisor
• Available and adaptable to work weekends and evening shifts, according to testing demands (may work past midnight or early hours, according to demands)
• Able to travel for audits and training, whenever assigned
• Adherence to turnaround times and deadlines
• A clear understanding of the importance of maintaining a clean workspace by following approved procedures and laboratory regulations for testing, health, and safety

Additional Expectations

ARL seeks to employ and promote team players who exhibit leadership, adaptability, intelligence, responsibility, and a commitment to excellence. We value individuals who thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure work environment and demonstrate accountability, positivity, and professionalism in all aspects of their role.

COMPENSATION RATE DEPENDENT ON RELEVANT INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

About ARL

Analytical Resource Laboratories LLC is a third-party quality testing laboratory in the food, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical industries. It was established on January 1, 2000. In 2015, ARL partnered with Tentamus North America, Inc., a network of laboratories headquartered in Germany, to form International Contract Laboratories, LLC. We celebrate 22 years of serving the industry. We offer microbiology and chemistry testing services, as well as method development, to manufacturers, retailers, raw material providers, and even consumers. On June 1, 2021, ARL acquired EuTech Scientific Services, Inc. ARL laboratories are located in Utah, Arizona, Florida, and New Jersey. We continue to grow and expand to serve our partners across the United States.
ARL’s motto of “Doing it right, on time, every time,” not only means executing the right work to produce quality results professionally but also doing what is right legally, morally, and ethically. Our greatest strength is in walking the moral high ground that drives our work, relationships, character, and leadership. They are reflected in the way we build our success and in the way we treat each other and our colleagues in the business, even our competitors. Doing it right is what sets us apart.

VISION

“To be the best quality lab in the industry founded on a championship culture of leaders who inspire good and elevate life wherever we go, doing what we exist to do”

MISSION

We exist to provide experience, professionalism, and value in world-leading analytical testing services at the highest level of integrity, reliability, timeliness, and accuracy by the best and greatest people. 

VALUES 

Experience: We stand for the highest level of performance, proficiency, and drive because ...

… we perfect our craft and seek learning anywhere, anytime.

… we don’t just avoid errors; we achieve excellence.

… we state our intentions and take deliberate actions.

… we embrace change and better ways of thinking.

This is how we do it right.

Professionalism: We manifest total commitment to doing our absolute best because …

… we exercise integrity, honesty, and transparency.

… we are effective, accountable, and reliable.

… we demonstrate that leadership is an active choice, not a passive position. 

… we deliver accuracy and quality in all our work.

… we take ownership of our stewardship.

This is who we are.

Value: We empower ourselves to bring value to those whose lives we impact by …

… building bridges of partnerships and service.

… inspiring moral discipline and character.

… creating authentic chemistry in our relationships.

… elevating the world through the results of our work.

The world is a better place because we are here. 

OUR WORK

We often hear the phrase “Don’t overpromise and under-deliver.” We do not make promises we cannot keep and represent what we aren’t. ARL is committed to truth and honesty. In our partnerships, our on-time timeline is driven by professional ethics to do the right work to produce correct results. We strive to fulfill the quality needs of our partners by setting reasonable expectations and realistic results. In our journey with our team, we do the same. No, we do not overpromise and under-deliver. Our goal is to deliver the unexpected. We set performance standards and realistic expectations for growth from advancement to progression. When you grow, we grow. When you perform, we deliver. We want you to trust that we will take your needs seriously without sacrificing integrity. It is the same conviction we take to our partners. There is no double standard.

OUR RELATIONSHIPS

When we say we care, we actually do something about it. We personally care about our success and how we serve yours. ARL is available for our partners as best as humanly possible, but we are present at any time for our people. We make people care our priority, personally and inherently. Our commitment to long-lasting relationships started long before you joined our team. This is not just business for us; it is who we are. Doing it right and doing what is right are our creed to build a better everything for you and for the ARL family.

OUR CHARACTER

ARL’s team is hand-picked. Our team is a team of abundant thinkers. We think big. We think plenty, not empty. The strength of our performance comes from an attitude of gratitude and a marathon of moral altitude. Non-abundant thinkers don’t last. Our identity in the profession go hand in hand with our core values. While the work that we do are founded on expertise, knowledge, proficiency, and experience, we stake our professional dealings on integrity, charity, respect, and all that is ethical, right, and true. Our people strive to exemplify a higher standard and choose to take the better path. This means we do not sacrifice long-term relationships for short-term gains. We do not seek to win at any cost.. Rather, we seek to do it right by our people, our partners, and our planet. At ARL, we understand the importance of never burning a bridge. (We never know when we might have to cross that bridge again.) It is reflected in our external behavior and practices in developing trust in our professional and personal relationships within our team, with our partners, and with our community.

OUR LEADERSHIP

We seek to build a team of leader-leaders. Our goal is to give you the tools to be technically competent so that we can trust you to actively and effectively deliver results at the level we seek to achieve. More importantly, we want you to be able to embrace your stewardship and take your place in our team so that you can achieve a sense of meaning and purpose in your work. Leader-leaders don’t wait for growth to happen. Leader-leaders bring stability to chaos. They seek out weaknesses and turn them to strengths. They don’t sit in the cart as someone else pushes and pull to the finish line. They put their shoulders to the wheel because they can and because they will. Leader-leaders at ARL make things happen. Leader-leaders keep a positive eye on possibilities and opportunities to grow our work, our relationships, our character, and our potential for leadership. 

We treat fumbles and tumbles as opportunities to become stronger than we were the day before. Our focus is on building, maintaining, and supporting a team that does it right, on time, every time, and delivering the unexpected. This is the cornerstone of who we are.