Laboratory Analyst - Celignis USA Corporation — Waterloo, Iowa

Contact Information:
www.celignis.us
info@celignis.us
319-509-3350

Position Type: Full-time | Typically 40 hours per week | On-site | Starting pay: approximately $25 per hour

About the Position

Celignis USA is looking for an enthusiastic, dependable and highly adaptable person to join our start-up analytical laboratory in Waterloo, Iowa.

This is an opportunity for someone who enjoys practical, hands-on work, likes learning new things and wants to develop a long-term career within a company where their responsibilities can grow significantly over time.

Previous laboratory experience is not required, and a college degree is not required. Full training will be provided.

We are much more interested in finding the right person — someone who is reliable, careful, willing to learn, comfortable taking responsibility and happy to become involved in a wide variety of activities.

The Celignis USA laboratory is currently at an early stage of its development. The successful candidate will therefore be joining at a point where they can become closely involved not only in routine laboratory work, but also in establishing and developing the systems, equipment, procedures and working practices of the Waterloo laboratory.

This is not a narrowly defined laboratory role. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute wherever needed to help the laboratory operate effectively and develop successfully.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will increase as training and experience develop and may include:

• Receiving, identifying, labelling and organizing incoming samples.
• Preparing samples for laboratory analysis, including weighing, grinding, drying and other sample-preparation activities.
• Carrying out a range of laboratory analyses according to established procedures.
• Operating and maintaining laboratory equipment following appropriate training.
• Recording, checking and entering analytical results.
• Assisting with the management of customer orders and samples as they progress through the laboratory.
• Maintaining accurate laboratory records and documentation and assisting with laboratory quality-control activities.
• Keeping laboratory work areas, equipment and supplies clean, organized and ready for use.
• Monitoring laboratory consumables and helping maintain adequate stock levels.
• Preparing samples, containers and other materials for shipment.
• Receiving deliveries and helping organize laboratory supplies and equipment.
• Assisting with the installation, setup and introduction of new laboratory equipment and analytical capabilities.
• Helping develop and improve laboratory procedures, systems and working practices.
• Supporting general laboratory administration.
• Carrying out occasional local collections, deliveries or other company-related activities.
• Assisting with other activities required for the effective operation and continued development of Celignis USA.

The nature of a start-up laboratory means that priorities can vary from day to day. On one day, most of your time may be spent preparing and analyzing samples. On another, you may be entering results, managing orders, organizing supplies, setting up equipment, preparing shipments or helping improve the way the laboratory operates.

We are therefore specifically looking for someone who enjoys variety, is flexible in their approach to work and is willing to contribute wherever needed.

This position is best suited to someone who takes an interest in the overall success of the laboratory, takes ownership of tasks and does not expect every activity to fall within a narrowly defined job description.

Who We Are Looking For

The most important qualities for this position are attitude, reliability, flexibility and attention to detail.

You may be a good fit if you:

• Are dependable and take pride in doing your work properly.
• Have strong attention to detail and can follow written procedures carefully.
• Are comfortable working with numbers and performing basic calculations.
• Are comfortable using computers and learning new software.
• Are organized and able to keep track of multiple samples, orders and tasks.
• Enjoy practical and hands-on work.
• Are willing to learn unfamiliar tasks and develop new skills.
• Are comfortable moving between laboratory, administrative and operational activities.
• Take ownership of tasks and are willing to help solve problems as they arise.
• Are comfortable working in a small start-up environment where flexibility is important.
• Are curious about how things work and interested in understanding the wider laboratory operation.
• Are willing to ask questions when unsure and learn from feedback.
• Are looking for an opportunity to develop within a company and take on increasing responsibility over time.
• Are interested in sustainability and the bioeconomy, and are curious not only about the laboratory work itself but also about how the results we generate can contribute to the development of more sustainable products, technologies and processes.

Previous experience in a lab, manufacturing, agriculture, food production, quality control, technical work, warehousing or another practical working environment may be useful, but none is essential.

Education

A high school diploma or equivalent is required.

College coursework, technical training or an associate degree in a science, agricultural, industrial or technical field may be useful, but a bachelor's degree is not required.

We recognize that ability, attitude, reliability and work ethic are not determined by academic qualifications.

Training and Development

Full training will be provided in the laboratory methods, equipment, procedures and software systems used by Celignis.

Initially, the position will involve learning the fundamentals of sample preparation, laboratory analyses, laboratory organization and our sample and order-management systems. As your knowledge and capabilities develop, we expect your level of independence and responsibility to increase.

Because the Celignis USA laboratory is at an early stage, the successful candidate will also have an opportunity to participate in the introduction of new equipment, analytical methods and laboratory systems.

For the right person, we want this position to develop into a role with increasing technical knowledge, independence and responsibility.

As Celignis USA develops and additional positions are created, we would like to promote from within wherever possible.

We are therefore particularly interested in someone who sees this as an opportunity to grow with Celignis USA over the long term, rather than simply as a short-term position.

About Celignis

Celignis is an analytical laboratory specializing in the analysis of biomass, biofuels, bioprocessing materials and related products.

Celignis USA has established a laboratory in Waterloo, Iowa, to provide Celignis analytical and technical capabilities directly to customers in the United States.

Although the Waterloo laboratory is currently a start-up operation, Celignis USA is part of the wider Celignis organization.

Celignis has an established laboratory operation in Ireland with approximately 20 employees, including laboratory analysts, managers and technical personnel.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Celignis USA operation in Waterloo while also having regular contact with colleagues in Ireland.

This provides an unusual opportunity to become involved at an early stage in the development of a new U.S. laboratory while still having access to the experience, analytical methods, technical knowledge and support of an established laboratory team.

Location

This is a fully on-site position at the Celignis USA laboratory in Waterloo, Iowa. Remote or hybrid working is not available for this role.

We are primarily looking for candidates who are already based in the Waterloo–Cedar Falls area or within reasonable daily commuting distance of the laboratory.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Candidates must be able to reliably commute to the Waterloo lab for their scheduled working hours.

Driving Requirement

A valid driver's license is required for this position.

The role will occasionally involve local driving for company activities, such as collecting or delivering samples and supplies, obtaining laboratory materials or carrying out other business-related errands.

A Celignis USA company vehicle will normally be available for these activities.

The successful candidate must be legally permitted to drive and meet the eligibility requirements of Celignis USA's motor vehicle insurance.

Compensation and Working Arrangements

• Starting pay of approximately $25 per hour.
• Full-time hourly position.
• Typically 40 hours per week.
• Fully on-site at the Waterloo laboratory.
• Full training provided.
• Opportunity for increased responsibility and career development as Celignis USA develops.

Applying

If you are reliable, practical, eager to learn and interested in becoming involved in many different aspects of a start-up laboratory, we would be very interested in hearing from you.

When applying, please provide a resume together with a short description of:

• Why this type of varied, hands-on position interests you.
• What you are looking for in your next role.
• Why you believe you would be a good fit for a small start-up laboratory environment.

Please email us at info@celignis.us and check out our website at www.celignis.us.