Laboratory Technician - Microscopy

Department: LSD Agriculture and Food Laboratory
Position covered by the Collective Agreement with USW Local 4120

Temporary full-time from 09/08/2025 to 09/03/2027

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page in order to be considered as an internal applicant. 
Career Opportunities (sapsf.com)

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary emphasis of the microscopy lab is to provide rapid, fee-for-service testing to the Agri-Food industry.  An appreciation of maintaining client confidentiality and experience handling time-sensitive, legal samples is important. The successful applicant will provide advanced microscopy analysis in the analytical microscopy lab: for the identification of foreign materials in food products; to certify meat samples are free from Trichinella in an accredited program; and perform the analysis of veterinary uroliths. The applicant must be proficient in the operation, alignment and maintenance of a variety of light microscopes, scanning electron microscopes, x-ray microanalysis systems, FTIR spectrometers and IR microscopes. Experience with polarized light microscopy and crystallographic techniques for the determination of the refractive index of crystals is required for urolith analysis. Final reports must be written for clients in consultation with the supervisor, therefore compilation and interpretation of data from numerous analytical methods is required to reach conclusions about the identity of foreign materials and uroliths. Experience with digital microphotography and digital image processing using Adobe Photoshop is also required.

Requirements

• Minimum three year college diploma in a scientific field, B.Sc. preferred. In the study and identification of materials using light, electron and infrared microscopy techniques.
• Two to three years of related experience
• Be self-motivated and be able to demonstrate they can work both independently and with other members of the lab team.
• Quick assimilation of new material is essential.
• Demonstrated experience handling sensitive legal samples and manipulation of microscopic particles is critical.

Other requirements include: 

• Experience with QA/QC protocols and laboratory accreditation requirements
• Good health and safety practices and experience handling and disposing of highly toxic materials and liquid nitrogen; capable of following an accredited method for cutting and processing fresh pork/meat samples for parasite detection
• Familiarity with analysis of veterinary uroliths using polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with x-ray microanalysis, and FTIR spectroscopy
• Proven verbal/writing skills and experience creating reports in consultation with the supervisor and communicating with clients, other laboratory staff and scientists is essential
• Experience working with Photoshop, Word, and Excel as well as a computerized Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is also required.   

Employee Type: Temporary Cover
Position Number: 10910096 
Classification: USW, Local 4120 Salary: Band 5  
USW Local 4120 Wage Grid

*Tentative evaluation; subject to final review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 08/05/2025  
Closing Date: 08/12/2025