Part Time Laboratory Assistant

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) provides quality and affordable higher education to empower lives and strengthen communities within Northwest Arkansas and surrounding areas.

As the largest community college in Arkansas, NWACC is recognized as a leader in education. NWACC offers a full range of associate degrees, certificates and workforce training programs that prepare students for rewarding futures and careers.

NWACC employees are dedicated to fostering a diverse educational community and cultural learning environment that supports student success.

Essential Duties

• Helps maintain a safe working environment by reporting accidents or incidents that occur in the science area to their lab supervisor, lead faculty, and dean. Also complies with all department safety procedures including; looking for and reporting potential safety hazards and inspecting and maintaining laboratory safety equipment. This duty is performed daily, about 10% of the time.

• Aids the full time lab staff in the preparation of supplies for the Chemistry, Biology, Botany, Geology, Microbiology, and Anatomy and Physiology classes. This includes; preparation of chemicals, verifying the quality of chemicals needed for various courses, retrieving preserved specimens and models, preparing media aseptically for use in microbiology, restocking laboratory experiment kits/carts, and breaking those carts when they have been completed. This duty is performed daily, about 15% of the time.

• Supports the AFLS Program Coordinator and Hort,Boty Subject coordinator in maintaining various outdoor gardens, pathways, and greenhouse areas. This involves weed eating and mowing grassy areas as well as performing other gardening tasks. This duty is performed daily, about 10% of the time.

• Helps maintain classroom/laboratories by cleaning those rooms and cleaning returning lab supplies (i.e. glassware, carts, etc.). Washes and maintains laboratory equipment such as but not limited to dissecting tools, pans, and various glassware, safety glasses and goggles, microscopes, etc. This duty is performed daily, about 40% of the time.

• Helps with clerical duties as assigned, including; greeting and directing students and visitors, answering telephone and relaying messages. Handing out laboratory kits at the beginning of each semester. This is performed daily, about 25% of the time.

Rate of Pay $14.00 per hour

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of the organization and administration of various higher education academic and social programs.

• Knowledge of campus and community resources.

• Knowledge of state, federal, and campus rules, regulations, and requirements related to campus academic and social programs.

• Ability to coordinate the activities of campus academic and/or social programs.

• Ability to evaluate collected information and formulate into recommendations.

• Ability to compile information into report form.

• Some knowledge of laboratory safety is preferred. The ability to follow directions, listen to faculty and staff, ask questions, and work outside.

Physical Demands

The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, talk or hear; regularly required to reach with hands and arms, taste or smell; occasionally required to walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision. The employee will need to be able to work in the outdoors as well as inside in the laboratory or office.

Environmental Conditions

The following work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. The employee will be exposed to both extreme heat and cold working outside. Proper precautions must be taken to prevent injury from the heat/cold. The employee will be using pesticides and other chemicals where the proper PPE must be utilized. The employee will also be working in areas where there is a limited exposure to carcinogens, teratogens, mutagens, biohazardous materials, and other hazardous chemicals. PPE is required and provided by the employer to help limit the risks associated with working with these hazards, but there is always a risk of exposure.

Required Education

High school diploma or equivalent.

NWACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, please see our EEO policy.