Lab Technician

Total Swine Genetics is a well-established boar stud located in Tillsonburg, Ontario with a great team. We house boars (male pigs) for our genetic partners and collect semen that is sold to our customers across Southwestern Ontario. We run production 3 days a week, with quality assurance testing completed on non-production days. Our lab analyzes collections from individual boars, then processes these collections so that they can be sold to customers. We strive to provide a high-quality product to our customers. 

Job description: 
As a lab technician, you report to the lab supervisor and need to adhere to strict processing and cleaning standards. Production day shifts begin between 5:00-8:00 am and end when production is completed. Shift length can vary between 7-12 hours depending on the day. Non-production days start between 6:00-8:00 am and vary between 4-8 hours.  A lab technician will work a minimum of 24 hours a week, 3-4 days a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday with the occasional Tuesday and Thursday). This is a permanent part-time position. 

Responsibilities: 
-Prepare the lab for production 

-Calculate collecting targets and communicate them with the barn, lab, shipping, and management during production in a fast-paced environment
-Operate computerized and traditional microscopes, bottling machines and other lab equipment
-Document results and report to management
-Ensure that every dose sold to our customers meets our strict quality standards
-Follow strict and thorough cleaning protocols at the end of each production day 

-On non-production days, evaluate the survival of sperm cells as part of the quality assurance program and various other tasks

We are looking for a passionate person who enjoys lab work, working in a fast-paced team environment and is interested in learning more about semen quality and the running of a production lab. 

 

Requirements:
-A great and positive attitude and willingness to learn

-Ideally live within a 30-minute drive from our two lab sites in the Tillsonburg region

-Must have a valid G driver's licence and vehicle to reliably arrive at work for each shift

-Be able to work shifts at both labs based on a weekly schedule

-Be able to successfully use grade 10 math
-Ideally, have an in-depth knowledge of basic laboratory techniques and equipment or be willing to learn
-Be a critical thinker with strong attention to detail
-Have excellent verbal and written communication skills
-Be able to work in a fast-paced environment 

-Be independent and take initiative to take on new responsibilities and tasks

-Ideally, be competent in Microsoft word and excel