Junior Lab Technician

Junior Lab Technician (On-Site)

Location: Victoria, BC

Company: StressMarq Biosciences

Position Type: Full-time, annual contract (with potential for extension)

Reports To: Lab Manager

Company profile

StressMarq Biosciences, founded in 2007, is a research bioreagents company producing high-quality, cutting-edge research products for the life sciences and discovery research markets. Our diverse portfolio of antibodies, proteins, immunoassay kits, and small molecules are utilized across a range of biomedical research fields including neuroscience, cancer research, and cell signaling.

In recent years, StressMarq has become a market leader in the development and commercialization of a range of fibrilized and oligomeric protein preparations for use in neurodegenerative disease research including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases. Within the company, we have three divisions - Operations, Sales & Marketing, and Laboratory. Within the Laboratory division, we have 4 departments – Antibodies, Kits, Proteins, and R&D.

About the role

StressMarq Biosciences is seeking a lab technician to join our growing company. This is an entry-level full-time annual contract position that can be extended if successful, reporting to a Lab Manager.  The new technician will be trained on existing SOPs to support the Proteins and/or R&D departments.

The day-to-day work for this position includes preparing buffers, casting and running SDS-PAGE gels and/or transfers, data visualization such as labelled gel images, line & bar graphs, etc., data entry into shared databases, drafting/ revising SOPs, general lab & equipment maintenance activities such as reagent/ consumable inventory, autoclaving materials & supplies, and clean-up.

On a weekly to biweekly basis, the technician will be assigned specific projects by a lab manager, which can include assay development, protein expression, purification and/or fibrillization or antibody purification and/or screening, followed by QC activities such as western blotting, sterility testing, assays (ThT, sedimentation, endotoxin detection, BCA, malachite green, etc) and atomic force microscopy. All data & results associated with a project must be compiled into a project summary as per ISO9011:2015 requirements.

Key expectations for the role:

·       Attendance in regularly scheduled meetings.

o  Must review transcript if meeting missed or follow up with a lab manager.

·       ISO 9001:2015

o  Remain aware of ISO 9001:2015 documentation expectations.

·       Lab Safety

o  Safe handling of chemicals and raw materials.

o  Safe handling and use of equipment.

o  Review SDS sheets when necessary

o  Wear appropriate PPE and abide by safety protocols.

o  Label reagents/buffers appropriately (WHIMIS)

Benefits:

·       2 Personal Days

·       Paid Vacation Time

·       Bi-monthly staff appreciation lunches

·       Medical, Dental and Vision (Personal Health Savings Account)

·       Multiple Bonus programs

·       Retirement Savings matching contribution programs (year 2 onward)

Salary Range:

$43,000 - $50,000

Requirements

Qualifications:

·       BSc with relevant lab experience or a MSc in biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology or another related field.

·       Attention to detail mandatory

·       Strong verbal and written communications skills

·       Analytical skills to perform complex tests and procedures

·       Technical proficiency to operate and maintain laboratory equipment such as PH meters, spectrophotometers, autoclaves, AKTAs, columns, etc.

·       Problem solving to troubleshoot issues with equipment and investigate any abnormal test results.