Job DescriptionBemidji State University (BSU) invites qualified applicants to join our team as the Biology Lab Coordinator. The Biology Lab Coordinator performs specialized work in the biology laboratories at BSU. The position will manage and optimize the Biology Department?s laboratory operations through strategic organization, safety, chemical hygiene, improved efficiency, program planning, compliance inspections, and purchasing.Responsibilities of the Biology Lab Coordinator include: Environmental, Health Safety. (Percent of Time: 20%)Providing compliance for safety training for student workers, graduate students, and undergraduate student researchers. Communicating safety updates to the Biology Department. Collecting, organizing, cataloging, and disposing of hazardous waste. Ensuring proper autoclaving and disposal of biohazard waste. Ordering and maintaining traceability of departmental chemical supplies.Developing and deploying safety signage/posters, documentation, and procedures.Coordinating and serving as a department resource for federal and institutional compliance requirements for faculty and staff, including IRB, IACUC, and Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) conformity. Coordinating annual inspections of laboratory space to meet federal, state, and institutional requirements.Participating in the Minnesota State College Lab Assistant (CLA) Safety Team and the Sattgast Safety committee.Managing freshman biology labs (Cellular Principles, Diversity of Life, Human Biology). (Percent of Time: 20%)Supervising preparations for freshman lab courses, ensuring labs are prepared properly and in a timely manner. Performing routine reagent prep as needed for lab exercises.Overseeing laboratory safety and maintaining safe operations in the lab spaces, ensuring first aid kits are available and stocked, broken glass containers and chemical spill kits are in appropriate spaces, and providing updates to lab safety sheets for in-class lab experiences.Assisting faculty with weekly meetings for and supervision of Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants.Providing in-classroom safety and technical support during freshman lab hours to undergraduate students and graduate teaching assistants.Developing and maintaining preparation instructions and guidelines for introductory and freshman-level lab courses. Making these materials available for Graduate Teaching Assistant review.Being available to faculty to assist as needed in independent student research projects for classes or advanced projects.Department Laboratory and Research Coordination as requested by the department and feasible outside of other responsibilities. (Percent of Time: 15%)Providing operational optimization and efficiency improvements for laboratory and research spaces.Collaborating and coordinating with other departments across campus. Assisting in developing a process for sharing equipment, facilities, and opportunities for student and project collaboration.Assisting and supporting faculty with input for the development, implementation, and updates to research etiquette guidelines and expectations for Biology Department users.Providing a supporting role for Biology graduate assistant orientation, training, and handbook. Assist with relaying ?Need to Know? information and expectations to graduate students.Assisting with mentoring of student workers and researchers within the department.Assisting with building access for student workers and researchers.Inventory and purchasing management for the Biology Department. (Percent of Time: 15%)Managing equipment, resources, and supplies within the Biology Department. Ensuring proper inventory, management, and safe storage of chemicals.Purchasing and coordination for labs, student needs, and faculty related to the Biology Department accounts. Ensuring timely receipt of goods and avoiding unnecessary orders for items currently in stock. Logging purchasing requests and receipt of items. Serving as the main point of contact for Central Receiving for the Department. Receiving and storing department shipments as needed.Coordinating Chemical Purchases and inventory in partnership with Chemistry department and other campus divisions.Maintaining the reputation of BSU as a viable business partner with outside vendors and partners.Contacting vendors for calibration and repairs, mainly for instrumentation and equipment, but especially regarding the steam sterilizers, microscopes, and pipettes.Working with the University Business Office and purchasing agents to request the preparation of requisitions for contracts and Marketplace orders/purchase orders. This position serves as a ?Requestor? in Marketplace and does not set up or execute contracts.Assisting with developing, updating, and maintaining research equipment checkout procedures and documentation.Student worker supervision/coordination. (Percent of Time: 15%)Assessing department needs and resources for undergraduate workers. Budgeting, hiring, supervising, and providing training to student workers or coordinating those activities with faculty employing the worker.Providing safety training to student workers or ensuring faculty have provided lab-specific training.Training student workers in greenhouse maintenance, taxidermy and other activities when appropriate.Managing physical spaces and major assets within the Biology Department. (Percent of Time: 10%)Supervising the operations of the Biology Department preparation room, the teaching lab spaces, and the greenhouse. Other spaces within the Biology Department should be supported as feasible.Serving as main point of contact for the Biology Department with Facilities, Physical Plant, and Central Maintenance and coordinating repairs and updates to labs and rooms within and around the Biology Department spaces in Sattgast Hall. Assisting with providing work orders for needed maintenance.Implementing and managing resource-sharing calendars and checkouts for the boats, icehouse, and vehicles.Managing, renewing, and storing titles, licenses, and registrations for boats and icehouse. Assisting with fuel needs for motorized vehicles.Assisting wildlife and aquatic biology programs with material needs as feasible.Supporting faculty in identifying facilities, resources, and major equipment use and needs.Assisting faculty with the operations of the department's physical spaces; reviewing and providing input on the operational and maintenance documents and plans as needed.Serving as a facilitator and consultant for NTC Biology and other programs related to the hazardous waste stream and hazard identification. This does not include handling of hazardous waste from the NTC campus. (Percent of Time: 5%)Salary Range:Depends on Qualifications; current pay range is $23.63 - $34.18 per hour.Minimum QualificationsProfessional lab or science career experience.Knowledge of laboratory principles, techniques, and operation of sophisticated laboratory equipment.Knowledge of first-aid administration.Skill in the assembling, handling, and repair of delicate laboratory equipment.Ability to:Plan, assign, and instruct others in principles, methods, and procedures.Develop and maintain databases using Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, Teams and more)Work independently, assume responsibility, exercise initiative, and be flexible regarding workload adaptations due to department enrollment changes.Understand and follow oral and written directions, chemical formulae, and charts.Work effectively with students, staff, faculty, and purchasing vendors.A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.Preferred QualificationMaster?s degree in Biology, Chemistry, or a related field: related work experience may be considered as equivalent.Professional skills to develop procedures to ensure the safe storage of chemicals, recommend safety procedures for the laboratory and stockroom areas, and work effectively with laboratory users and regulatory agencies.Work experience in management relating to inventory control and purchasing.Experience with IBC compliance.Environmental Conditions More than 20% of the time: Noise, standing/walking on hard flooring. Less than 20% of the time: Temperatures greater than 95? Fahrenheit for up to 2 hours at a time; smell, toxic or caustic chemicals.Physical FactorsConstant: Ability to move about the building and lab spaces. Obtain items from cabinets, shelves, and storage spaces. Communicate instructions.Frequent: Grasping, carrying, standing on hard flooring, lifting waist to shoulders, kneeling, squatting. Using lab carts as needed to move supplies and equipment.Occasional: Lifting above shoulders, lifting materials greater than 50 pounds. Or coordinate the movement of heavy items and lab equipment with student workers or maintenance workers.Other RequirementsAll applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment.Employment for this position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), which can be found at https://mn.gov/mmb/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor/mape.jsp.In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to MinnState?s vehicle use criteria and consent to motor vehicle records check annually.BSU is a tobacco free workplace (see policy).Inquiries about the position:Jeffrey Bell, Dean of the College of Sciences and HealthPhone: 218-755-3732Email: jeffrey.bell@bemidjistate.eduIf you have general questions about this posting or submitting an application or bid, contact Mary Miller at mary.miller@bemidjistate.edu.Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)Unlimited Full-time (1.0 FTE); Monday ? Friday 8:00 a.m. ? 4:30 p.m. with some nights, evenings, and weekends required.Telework (Yes/No)Telework currently not available for this position.AboutUNIVERSITY / COMMUNITYWHY BEMIDJI:It?s more than a job. It?s an opportunity for the extraordinary.On the idyllic shores of Lake Bemidji, cradled among the limitless natural beauty of the North Woods and neighbored by Minnesota?s three largest Indigenous nations, Bemidji State University offers opportunities for the extraordinary.Bemidji State University has been ranked as one of the top 30 public institutions in the Midwest region by U.S. News World Report each year since 2019. BSU offers its diverse student body a comprehensive spectrum of opportunities with nearly 120 undergraduate degrees and emphasis areas in more than 50 areas of study, 14 pre-professional programs, and 14 graduate programs and certificates.As Bemidji State continues its second century of service, our vision is simple: we educate people to lead inspired lives. To achieve this, BSU centers diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value and strives to create a campus culture in which all members are free to be their authentic selves. BSU also proactively engages with Indigenous communities in northern Minnesota and nationwide toward its goal of becoming a destination university.BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, the third-largest system of higher education institutions in the United States. It shares a unique alignment with Northwest Technical College, with administration and student services generally having dual responsibilities to serve both campuses. Through this alignment, NTC students can take advantage of services, support, activities, and opportunities at BSU that expand and enhance their college experience ? such as full access to BSU?s library and the ability to live in BSU?s on-campus resident housing.For the first time, a joint strategic planning process will guide the future directions for both institutions. The schools are pursuing four shared strategic priorities: student success, the Nisidotaading initiative, northern distinction, and telling our story. These priorities will serve as the foundations for master planning processes for facilities, academic programs, fundraising, information technology, intercollegiate athletics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, among others.The Nisidotaading initiative ? named for an Ojibwe phrase meaning ?building mutual understanding? ? is creating a statewide center of excellence. It will develop communities of practice meant to help Minnesota State colleges and universities better educate their campus communities on historical trauma and lived experiences of their Indigenous populations, and how to most effectively guide Indigenous students toward their educational goals. In addition, BSU is the first university in the United States to expose all of its students to a course on Indigenous people before graduation.Bemidji State University acknowledges that it is located on land and water that is the current and ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe and Dakota. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced assimilation, and efforts to alienate the Indigenous inhabitants from their territory here. We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land, retained tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and cultural resilience. Indigenous people are spiritual and physical caretakers of this land to which we all belong. Bemidji State University respects these sacred lands, stands with the community members from these Nations, and will fight injustice in all its forms.At Minnesota State, the work we do is more than just a job. In their pursuit of purpose, connection, and growth, our employees play a critical role on our campuses. They develop policies, provide essential services, and work to improve the well-being and quality of life for our students and for all Minnesotans. Minnesota State is committed to equity and inclusion, and we invest in our employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities. Unlock your potential through possibility.The City of BemidjiBemidji State University and Northwest Technical College lie amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. Bemidji State occupies a wooded campus along the western shore of Lake Bemidji while Northwest Technical College lies justthree miles east, near Bemidji?s robust industrial district.?The city sits between Minnesota?s three largest American Indian tribal nations: the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Red Lake Nation and the White Earth Nation. When settling the Bemidji area in 1750, the Ojibwe people named the lake Bemidjigamaag, which means ?a lake with crossing waters? as the Mississippi River flows in from the south and exits on the east. Today, a city proper with a population of around 15,000 serves as a regional economic and cultural hub for about 100,000 Minnesotans.Located just minutes away from a thriving downtown Bemidji, both the BSU and NTC campus communities have convenient access to affordable restaurants, fine-dining experiences, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores ? including a natural foods co-op ? city parks, and nearly unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. Small, locally-owned shops and art sculptures line Bemidji's downtown streets, while national chains are also found in and around the area.?The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows, restaurants offer weekly live music performances, the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits, and annual festivals bring the community together throughout the year.?Additionally, the North Woods setting means students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities available at their fingertips year-round. With more than 400 lakes ? and a 240-acre research forest owned by BSU ? within 25 miles of the city, there is easy access to kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, hunting, hiking, biking, foraging, fishing, and more. An expansive network of?multi-use trail systems is available for running, cross-country skiing, single-track or fat-tire biking, and skijoring. Further, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing lie just north of Bemidji at the Buena Vista Ski Area.Bemidji is also near two of Minnesota?s 66 state parks:?Lake Bemidji State Park, which sits along Lake Bemidji?s northern shore, and Itasca State Park, home to the majestic Mississippi River Headwaters. Both parks are popular recreational and camping destinations where locals and tourists gather for sailing, swimming, and fishing during the summer months, and?skating, hockey, curling, and?yes?more fishing in the winter.?Of course, no tour of Bemidji is complete without a visit to ? and a selfie with ? its two most famous residents: the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and his trusty companion, Babe the Blue Ox. The famed duo, which has greeted visitors to Bemidji since 1937, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once ranked by Kodak as the second most-photographed statue in America.For further information About BSU visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.eduReview a special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise at Bemidji 2.0Other Resources:Visit Bemidji ? https://www.visitbemidji.com/218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji ? https://www.218relocate.com/Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce ? https://www.bemidji.org/Explore Minnesota ? https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidjiStatement of Notice:Bemidji State University prohibits discrimination and sexual violence of any kind. Contact the Title IX Coordinator if you have concerns regarding discrimination and/or sexual violence.Per Minnesota State System Procedure 1B.3.1, all universities and colleges must provide contact information of their Title IX Coordinator. Megan Zothman, Campus Human Resources Officer Title IX CoordinatorEmail: TitleIX@bemidjistate.edu or Megan.Zothman@BemidjiState.eduPhone: (218) 755-25021500 Birchmont Drive NE, Deputy Hall, Room 335, Bemidji, MN 56601Bemidji State University is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Consumers with hearing or speech disabilities may contact us via their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service.

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