LABORATORY TECHNICIAN (GEOSCIENCE)
Career Family: LABORATORY TECHNICIAN
New Jersey treats Laboratory Technician (geoscience) as a competitive-class job, so the gate is an examination and the ranked list it produces rather than a direct offer.
The spec names an associate's degree, but it leaves the door open to substitute experience for the degree. The FY 2027 range lands between $44,750 and $64,522, and state payroll currently lists about 16 people in the title, most of them at Health and Senior Services.
How to apply
This title is filled by competitive examination.
See every real route in, and where to apply. 2 agencies employ it. We don't track live vacancies.
See all 2 employers and how to apply →Who employs this title
Laboratory Technician (geoscience) appears on the State payroll at 2 departments, most of them at Department of Health.
State departments
| Employer | Employees |
|---|---|
| Department of Health | 15 |
| Department of Agriculture | 1 |
State payroll and independent authority payroll are separate systems and are never merged. See data sources.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 16 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $50,878. The agencies employing the most are:
- Health and Senior Services (15)
- Agriculture (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.
Definition
Under a supervisory official in a state department, institution, or agency, does and assists with laboratory technical work in a geoscience laboratory; does other related duties as required.
Examples of work
- May assist in all procedures involved in making required tests and analysis.
- Gives assignments and instructions to staff and graduate and/or student assistants and supervises the performance of their work.
- Maintains laboratory glassware and equipment and provides a clean work area.
- Operates polarizing and other research microscopes.
- Sets up and operates petrographic thin section equipment, microphotography, and darkroom equipment, and telescopes such as the Questor and Celestron.
- Performs rock and mineral identification tests and organizes rock and mineral suites.
- Prepares reports.
- Maintains records and files.
- Will be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
Education
Successful completion of 60 semester hour credits at an accredited college or university which shall have included 24 semester hour credits in geology, oceanography, and/or astronomy.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of petrographic thin section equipment and polarizing and other research microscopes. Knowledge of rock and mineral identification tests.
- Knowledge of astronomy and telescopes such as the Questor and Celestron.
- Knowledge of meteorological recording apparatus.
- Knowledge of laboratory equipment used in geoscience laboratories including glassware, titration analysis, mass-spectrophotometer, spectroscope, isodynamic separstor, chipmunk crusher, laboratory work cutting saws, lapidary faceting cutting, and polishing equipment.
- Ability to carry out this sectioning.
- Ability to use polarizing and other research microscopes.
- Ability to work with darkroom equipment including enlarging apparatus.
- Ability to perform rock and mineral identification tests and to organize rock and mineral suites.
- Ability to set up and work with telescopes such as the Questor and Celestron.
- Ability to set up meteorological recording apparatus, oceanographic equipment, and recording devices.
- Ability to operate the various equipment used in geoscience laboratories.
- Ability to prepare reports.
- Ability to maintain essential records and files.
- Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
- Ability to read, write, speak, understand, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
- Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
- CODES: 13/A12 - RKR/cah 11/7/98
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.
Applicants who do not possess the required education may substitute two (2) years of experience as a technician in a astronomical observatory and/or a geology or mineralogy laboratory, provided 24 semester hour credits have been met in geology, oceanography, and/or astronomy.