Career Center

Geoscience Department Laboratory Technician
Hobart William Smith Colleges

Location: Geneva, NY
Open Date: Feb 27, 2026

Description
The Department of Geoscience at Hobart and William Smith invites applications for a Laboratory Technician position. This technician is responsible for classroom support, maintaining teaching collections, assisting in the technical operation of the classroom/research laboratories, maintenance and support of technical equipment for teaching and research, environmental health and safety training and coordination, and management of related departmental functions.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Typical duties for this position may include the following.

• Provide classroom support for 70 - 180 students in up to 8+ courses concurrently.
• Proctor exams and quizzes.
• Prepare and copy classroom handouts when needed.
• Prepare materials for hands-on examinations.
• Responsible for classroom and laboratory set-ups and takedowns, repair and replacement of lab equipment, and general lab upkeep.
• Order supplies: comparison pricing from various vendors, complete paperwork, pick up, unpack, etc. and miscellaneous local shopping.
• Prepare chemical solutions.
• Wash glassware and equipment.
• Maintain (and replace as needed) lab and field equipment, including equipment shared with Biology.
• Respond to building-related emergencies with the focus of maintaining teaching operations during outages and repairs.
• Coordinate with Buildings and Grounds to facilitate repairs and maintenance to avoid disruption in teaching.
• Support the Science on Seneca (SOS) high school teacher-training program in coordination with the SOS team. Duties might include:
• Maintain contact with area high school administrators and teachers.
• Assist in the Fall and Spring high school teacher training programs on the research vessel.
• Responsible for all SOS student cruise correspondence.
• Responsible for maintaining current mailing list of participants and potential participants.
• Analyze high school student research results. Amass baseline data on Seneca Lake's major chemical, biological, and physical features.
• Coordinate SOS lab manual revisions, update as needed.
• Conduct SOS cruise discussion groups. Maintain and manage transfers of pre-cruise kits.
• Maintain SOS budget
• Assist staff at Finger Lakes Institute with educational, administrative, and technical duties as needed.
• Maintain chemical stocks and various research equipment used by Geoscience, Biology, and Chemistry classes and research on board the research vessel.
• Analyze and store plankton samples for Finger Lakes and Adirondacks Lakes and maintain corresponding database in collaboration with Biology and the Finger Lakes Institute.
• Prepare and send out rock chips for thin sections.
• Maintain current teaching collections, mineral display cases and computerized database of rocks, minerals, and fossils. Label, catalog, and store new acquisitions.
• Maintain maps, charts, and posters.
• Maintain map drawers, including filing.
• Order maps.
• Maintain rock-saw room.
• Train and oversee student use as needed.
• Maintain equipment and replace parts as needed.
• Order supplies and arrange for installation and repair.
• Maintain Departmental teaching and research equipment including the Ion Chromatograph, Elemental Analyzer, Spectrophotometer, X-ray Diffraction Unit and any other shared teaching/research equipment.
• Train and oversee student use as needed.
• Repair and replace parts as needed.
• Maintain supplies.
• Maintain service contracts and schedule service as needed.
• Maintain teaching/research microscopes and all other lab and field equipment in good working order and install appropriate replacement parts.
• Fabricate or arrange for fabrication specialized equipment needed for Geoscience laboratories and some faculty research.
• Maintain and upgrade Geoscience Department computers with focus on specialized software installations for teaching laptop cart and computers (Windows and Mac) in Geoscience teaching and research spaces. Coordinate with IT on campuswide computer upgrades, imaging, and maintenance.
• Serve on the HWS Chemical Hygeine Plan and Campus Safety Committees.
• Maintain the Geoscience Department Hazardous Chemical Inventory database.
• Maintain Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for Geoscience Department lab areas.
• Provide technical guidance for updating and maintenance of the Geoscience Department Chemical Hygeine Plan and the Geoscience Department Lab Safety Manual.
• Manage chemical waste.
• Conduct lab inspections and maintain records for Geoscience Department general use areas and teaching labs.
• Maintain records of Geoscience Department research lab inspections done by faculty.
• Maintain records of annual Faculty/Staff safety training.
• Train research students in general lab safety practices and maintain records of this training.
• Oversee student employees and student teaching assistants (6 - 10 students per semester) including timesheets.
• Filing and technical clerical support associated with teaching.
• Purchase requisitions.
• Maintain departmental stock of toner, ink, and paper for specialty printers.
• Inventory, store, and arrange for equipment and computer maintenance, repair, and servicing.
• General data file back up as needed.
• Migration of Geoscience collections data to an accessible database platform.
• Provide occasional lectures to Critical Museum Studies classes on mineral, rock and fossil collections.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Other Information

This is a full-time, 10-month, 37.5 hours/week, benefits-eligible hourly position. Normal working hours are 8:30 am - 5 pm and there is a shortened workweek during the scheduled summer hours time period. This position description is not all-inclusive, as other tasks or responsibilities are often assigned. Pay range: $22- $25/hr

About HWS

A liberal arts and sciences institution, Hobart and William Smith is known for consistent success in preparing students for meaningful lives and fulfilling careers through an outcomes-based focus on their futures. Our nationally ranked faculty are accessible teachers and scholars known for the impact of their research and distinguished by the depth of their mentorship. World challenges are studied in the classroom where critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills are honed. In the field, knowledge turns into discovery. In office hours, plans are carefully crafted to tie interests and talents to an academic path that motivates beyond graduation.

Our location in the heart of the Finger Lakes allows faculty, staff and students to live and work collaboratively on the banks of a resource-rich lake. Student-athletes play for 30 varsity teams boasting 24 national titles, including the 2023 and 2024 NCAA DIII Men's Ice Hockey Championships. With three graduate programs, students can build on their undergraduate degree with a Master of Arts in Higher Education Leadership, Master of Arts in Teaching, or a Master of Science in Management. Together, the experiences and mentorship at HWS prepare students to lead lives of consequence.


Qualifications

• Minimum Bachelor's degree or equivalent in a STEM field required.
• Previous exposure to college-level geology laboratory instruction and lab work is necessary.
• Computer experience or willingness and ability to learn is necessary.
• Previous teaching experience desirable.
• Should be a self-starter and be able to work without direct supervision.

Application Instructions


For more information and to apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/182399

The Colleges are an equal employment opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment in their programs and activities against employees or applicants based on race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, citizenship, genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, familial status, domestic violence victim status, caregiver status, military status, including past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, social class, or any other category or characteristic protected by applicable law.










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