Laboratory Technologist, Environmental Solutions

Required Position

Full-Time Appointment THIS POSITION IS DESIGNATED AS ONE THAT MAY REQUIRE A DIFFERENT WORK WEEK AND/OR HOURS OF WORK.

Responsibilities

Vacancy Status: New position

Reporting to the Dean, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture, the Laboratory Technologist provides lab instruction at the undergraduate level to ensure student success. The incumbent facilitates the day-to-day operation and maintenance of research and teaching equipment, coordinates the Environmental Solutions program, and serves as the primary liaison to institutional partners. Additionally, the Laboratory Technologist supports students during their mandatory work placements to offer guidance and ensure high-quality learning outcomes across the University.

Laboratory Instruction & Field Support - 20%

• Delivers in-lab instruction and technical demonstrations for Environmental Solutions (ESOL) and Natural Sciences (NATS) environmental solutions laboratories under faculty supervision.
• Guides students in the safe and correct use of specialized environmental monitoring and analytical equipment.
• Provides hands-on support during land-based and field-based learning activities, including site preparation, field safety briefings, sample collection, and in-field data recording.
• Coaches students on good laboratory practice, data management, and quality control, including completion of lab notebooks, electronic data entry, and basic statistical checks consistent with program expectations.
• Offers in-lab learning support, including troubleshooting experimental issues and reinforcing concepts from ESOL, Environmental Science (ENSC), and Biology (BIOL) laboratories.
• Contributes to the development of laboratory exercises that reflect northern Ontario environmental challenges and Indigenous perspectives.

Teaching Laboratory Management & Administration - 20%

• Sets up in-person experiments ahead of each laboratory session, including preparing materials, equipment, and Desire2Learn (D2L) resources needed for the activity.
• Manages the laboratory D2L page and class lists, including entering and updating laboratory grades, communicating grades and feedback to students, and providing final laboratory grades to the course instructor for submission to Self-Service while handling all information sensitively and confidentially.
• Prepares and periodically revises the laboratory manual and associated experiments in collaboration with the professor in charge.
• Recruits and trains Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs), and meets with them regularly to review material, coordinate marking, and assist with required paperwork.
• Communicates health and safety rules and regulations to students, responds to student questions and concerns about the laboratory component, and addresses student complaints in a professional and fair manner.
• Manages laboratory inventories and purchasing, including contacting vendors and ordering equipment and supplies within university policies.
• Participates in the repair and maintenance of teaching and research equipment, assists faculty in setting up research experiments, and supports the preparation of Research Ethics Board (REB) and Animal Care protocol applications as they relate to laboratory activities.

Program Coordination & Academic Administration - 20%                       

• Supports the Environmental Solutions (ESOL) Program Coordinator with day-to-day program administration, including maintaining enrolment, progression, and attrition data required for annual program reporting and quality assurance.
• Tracks and compiles program-level information, including course offerings, changes in Cambrian College third-year curriculum, and assessment methods, to keep internal documentation and advising materials current.
• Assists with organizing program-level events such as outreach, recruitment, orientation activities, information sessions about the Cambrian College year, capstone symposia, and community-engagement events.
• Serves as an accessible point of contact for ESOL students regarding program logistics, including course sequencing, laboratory expectations, and timelines for transition to Cambrian College and return to the fourth year.
• Contributes to the work of the Collaborative Environmental Solutions Program Committee by providing data for the Collaborative Quality Assurance Plan and annual report, and preparing briefing notes on laboratory and placement issues.

Institutional Liaison & Partnership Coordination - 20%            

• Acts as an operational liaison between Laurentian University and Cambrian College for the third-year Environmental Control curriculum, focusing on laboratory, field, and scheduling matters affecting Environmental Solutions (ESOL) students.
• Coordinates the flow of information about Cambrian College course expectations, equipment and safety requirements, and field activities so ESOL students are adequately prepared before their year at Cambrian College.
• Works with the Cambrian College Site Coordinator to monitor ESOL student progress in technical courses and flags laboratory-related or logistical concerns to the ESOL Program Coordinator in a timely manner.
• Helps align first- and second-year Laurentian University laboratory experiences with the skills and competencies emphasized in Cambrian College's environmental monitoring, hydrology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), air quality, toxicology, and work-placement courses.
• Supports joint marketing and outreach activities related to the collaborative program by providing technical content for recruitment materials and participating in information sessions and campus visits.

Mandatory Work Placement Coordination - 20%                  

• Coordinates the logistics of the mandatory work placement component, including tracking student eligibility and placement timelines.
• Liaises with the Cambrian College placement office, employers, and community partners—such as government agencies, consultants, mining and resource companies, and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to confirm suitable environmental monitoring and assessment placements.
• Supports students in preparing for placements by organizing pre-placement workshops on field safety, professional conduct, technical expectations, and documentation requirements.
• Maintains records of placement sites, supervisor evaluations, and student feedback to inform program quality assurance, reporting, and continuous improvement of work-integrated learning.
• Assists in integrating placement experiences back into the curriculum by coordinating debriefs, helping students reflect on skills development, and providing input into capstone and project-based courses that build on placement learning.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Environmental Science, Biology or related field.
• One (1) to three (3)  years of experience in a relevant field.
• Good organizational skills to manage multiple responsibilities.
• Interpersonal and communication skills to deal with students, TAs, GTAs, profs, Cambrian College contacts, community stakeholders, etc.
• Problem solving and troubleshooting skills to quickly find the failure of a lab experiment or piece of equipment.
• Legal skills: must be familiar with: OSHA regulation to apply to Lab TA, Freedom of Information and
• Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), because of involvement with students; Laurentian University Health and Safety Policies; WHMIS; LUSU collective agreement
• Computer skills: able to use office products (Word, Powerpoint, Excel), advanced knowledge of D2L.
• First aid skills including CPR in case of accidents in the lab.
• Ability to work fluently (verbal and written) in both official languages, French and English, is required.

***We are aware that some applicants are experiencing difficulty using our careers portal. Should you complete an application through our online form and receive an error, please submit your application to careers@laurentian.ca***

The official University hours of operation shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, during, and including, the months from September to April, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m Monday through Friday during and including May to August., amounting to thirty-three and three-quarter (33.75) hours per week. 

At Laurentian University, we recognize that work-life balance is essential for both personal well-being and professional success. Our policy offers employees some flexibility to better balance personal needs while maintaining effective service delivery.

Laurentian University is an inclusive and welcoming community committed to employment equity. Applications are encouraged from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. Laurentian University’s bilingualism policy provides a provision regarding the language requirement for persons self-identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. 

Laurentian University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact Human Resources for more information (careers@laurentian.ca).

 

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Applications will only be accepted through our online form.