Regular/Temporary

Temporary

Job Title

RESEARCH LAB TECHNICIAN (V)

Job ID

71481

Location

HSC- Central Campus

Open Date

09/12/2025

Job Type

Limited Term (>12 months)

Close Date

09/21/2025

Employee Group

Unifor Unit 1, Staff

Favorite Job

Department

Biochemistry

Salary Grade/Band

Grade 9

Salary Range

$30.84 - $47.65 (hourly)

Contract Duration

12.2 Months

Hours per Week

37.5

Posting Details

Schedule

Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 37.5 hours per week. 7.5 hours per day. 100% On-stie work requirement.

Education Level

Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field of study

Career Level

Requires 3 years of relevant experience

Job Description

Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.

Unit/Project Description:
Ranked as one of the world’s top 70 universities, McMaster University is known for teaching and research excellence. In our teaching, research, and scholarship, we are committed to creativity, innovation, and excellence. We value integrity, quality, inclusiveness, and teamwork in everything we do. We inspire critical thinking, personal growth, and a passion for lifelong learning. We serve the social, cultural, and economic needs of our community and our society.

The Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences (BBS), within the Faculty of Health Sciences integrates education, research, and community partnership in the heart of what we do. Our faculty, staff and students are committed to excellence, and our goal is to aim high and tackle anything that comes our way.

We are recruiting for an experienced Research Laboratory Technician who will, in consultation with the Principal Investigator, lab researchers and collaborators, design and run experiments related to host-microbe symbioses, including understanding the role of antimicrobialcompounds derived from beneficial microbes in mediating host health and disease. Lab work is multi-disciplinary and will include molecular, microbiological, including cloning of biosynthetic gene clusters and working on natural product production and screening. Extensive knowledge on the molecular and chemical biology of Streptomyces is essential. This work culminates in identifying novel antibiotics , and chemical structural elucidation on the antimicrobial compounds. Experience working with chemists onstructural elucidation of novel antifungal compounds is an asset.

Job Summary:
The Research Laboratory Technician (V) is responsible for providing specialized research support to faculty members in their research and teaching laboratory activities. Requires a sound working knowledge of the technology and comprehension of the theory of a specialized field or science is applied and adapted to new research situations. Performs a full range of laboratory technician assignments and uses considerable judgement in making decisions requiring the interpretation and application of guidelines. Provides lead hand supervision to other staff in the laboratory.

Purpose and Key Functions:

• Design, adapt, and perform specialized in-vitro and in-vivo procedures.
• Organize and conduct specialized research experiments.
• Modify and adapt test procedures and equipment to meet specialized requirements.
• Use statistical software to conduct moderate and complex statistical analyses and calculations.
• Write sections of scientific papers, funding proposals, and abstracts.
• Perform various in-vitro and in-vivo procedures that are moderately complex and specialized.
• Provide recommendations for procedure modifications and development of the research protocol methodologies.
• Adapt and modify established methods, assays, techniques, and equipment for various laboratory and test procedures.
• Liaise with other laboratories, external departments, and agencies to coordinate resources and schedules to meet research objectives.
• Develop presentations and present information at meetings, seminars, and conferences.
• Recognize and investigate apparent reasons for obvious deviations in results obtained.
• Write a variety of documents such as technical and procedural sections for research reports and standard operating procedures.
• Observe details and maintain accurate records of experiments and results.
• Log samples and related pertinent information.
• Gather and compile experimental results and assist in the preparation of data for reports and publications.
• Exchange technical and scientific information with others.
• Provide updates at research group meetings.
• Responsible for keeping laboratory facilities, equipment, and area in clean, safe working order.
• Assemble and adjust tests and laboratory equipment for experiments and procedures.
• Operate, adjust, and maintain a variety of laboratory equipment and scientific instruments.
• Ensure adequate supplies are available for experiments.
• Schedule laboratory equipment for use.
• Demonstrate and train others on experimental techniques and the operation of laboratory equipment.
• Prepare chemical reagents and biomedical media according to formulae and assume responsibility for accuracy in the preparation and standardization of solutions.
• Pipette a variety of reagents and media.
• Monitor supplies and order inventories.
• Responsible for the proper storage of materials and the appropriate disposal of waste.
• Adhere to standardized procedures and protocols when dispensing chemicals and base media.
• Input, maintain, and verify information in a variety of databases and spreadsheets.
• Conduct literature searches and write literature reviews.

Supervision:
Provide lead hand supervision and is responsible for the quality and quantity of work of others.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field of study.
• Requires 3 years of relevant experience.

Assets:

• Experience with genetics of Streptomyces, including on biosynthetic gene clusters
• Completion of Graduate Studies is considered an asset for this role
• Understanding of Health and Safety, Lab safety procedures is an asset
• Highly motivated with excellent time management skills
• Experience working with natural products is considered an asset
• Demonstrated ability to learn newtechniques and train others is desired
• Experience using Mass Spectrometer
• Must have 3 years experience working in a research lab focused on the discovery of new antibiotic compounds from Streptomyces.

Additional Information:

• Must have the ability to write a variety of documents including standard operating procedures and ethics board submissions

• Excellent communication skills are required and incumbent must be comfortable explaining and presenting work to collaborators

• Microbiology experiences, including working with Streptomyces and managing databases to organize culture collections

• Experience conducting genetics and molecular biology on bacteria

• Skills and experience to perform/adapt/modify tests to test bioactive compounds bacterial and possibly animal models

• Experience in natural production isolation

• 1+ years of experience in insect models

How To Apply

To apply for this job, please submit your application online.

Employment Equity Statement

McMaster University is located on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee and Mississauga Nations and within the lands protected by the “Dish With One Spoon” wampum agreement.

The diversity of our workforce is at the core of our innovation and creativity and strengthens our research and teaching excellence. In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster University strives to embody the values of respect, collaboration and diversity, and has a strong commitment to employment equity.

The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity and inclusion, who will contribute to the diversification of ideas and perspectives, and especially welcomes applications from indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities, persons with disabilities, women, and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQ+.

As part of McMaster’s commitment, all applicants are invited to complete a confidential Applicant Diversity Survey through the online application submission process. The Survey questionnaire requests voluntary self-identification in relation to equity-seeking groups that have historically faced and continue to face barriers in employment. Please refer to the Applicant Diversity Survey - Statement of Collection for additional information.

Job applicants requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact:

• Human Resources Service Centre at 905-525-9140 ext. 222-HR (22247), or
• Faculty of Health Sciences HR Office at ext. 22207, or
• School of Graduate Studies at ext. 23679

to communicate accommodation needs.

Interview Experience

At McMaster University, we believe in a comprehensive and inclusive interview process. Our interview methods encompass a variety of approaches that allow our hiring teams to provide a flexible and accessible experience for engaging with our candidates. Throughout your recruitment process at McMaster, you may be requested to participate in a variety of formats, that may include in-person, virtual or recorded interviews. If you have any questions as you move through the hiring process, please reach out to talent@mcmaster.ca or the HR contact associated with your position of interest.