LABORATORY ASSISTANT (O5)
Laboratory Assistant is non-competitive, meaning the state checks your education and experience against the spec instead of ranking you on a test.
How to apply
This title is not filled by examination — agencies appoint directly.
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See where to apply for this title →Where this title is used
Laboratory Assistant is a common title, so it is used in both State and local service. The local side is filled by the counties, municipalities, authorities and other employers that have adopted civil service under Title 11A, which set their own pay by ordinance or contract rather than from a State salary schedule.
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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 the direction of a Senior Laboratory Assistant, a Laboratory Technician or other supervisor in a chemical, bacteriological, serological, forensic, research, animal industry, or other laboratory in a department, agency or institution, assists with the non-technical work involved in keeping the laboratory and its equipment clean and orderly and in facilitating the technical work done therein; does related work as required.
Examples of work
- Cleans shelves and counters and sweeps floors.
- Washes, dries and dusts glassware.
- Plugs tubes of cultural media and arranges tubes for sterilization.
- Prepares specimens and other supplies for shipment.
- Pastes labels on bottles, containers and packages to be shipped and unpacks specimens.
- Cleans, washes and sterilizes vials, needles, test tubes, bottles, glassware and other laboratory equipment.
- Helps with the work involved in preparing and maintaining charts and other laboratory records.
- Helps maintain essential laboratory records and files.
- May 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.
License
Appointees 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 the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
- Knowledge of the methods and equipment used in keeping rooms and equipment in a clean and orderly condition.
- Knowledge of the equipment commonly used in laboratories.
- Ability to understand, remember and carry out oral and written directions.
- Ability to follow established procedures in doing simple tasks and to learn quickly form demonstrations and explanations.
- Ability to organize assigned laboratory work and develop effective work methods.
- Ability to observe and follow the safety precautions to be taken in laboratory work and the proper ways of sterilizing equipment and supplies, being consistently careful in cleaning, sterilizing and arranging laboratory equipment.
- Ability to keep simple records with accuracy and precision.
- Ability to maintain established records and files.
- Ability to learn 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, or 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.
Note
As this is an entrance level position, there are no formal minimum education and/or experience requirements.