The Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design (ANRD) is seeking applications for a Research Technician (Research Assistant II).

About the Opportunity:

The Research Technician will manage lab functions under the purview of general lab safety, chemical hygiene, and biosafety regulations and procedures in the Amy Bircher Textiles Lab and associated facilities; this individual will provide oversight of lab equipment and materials; and he/she will provide technical support to the School of Design and Community Development.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year
  (for when you’re ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family’s, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ’s.
• Wellness programs

Pay Grade: 17

What you'll do:

• Ordering Supplies
• Managing Safety Data Sheets
• Equipment Maintenance and Repair
• Scheduling
• Lab Preparation for Courses
• Maintaining Inventory
• Enforcing Laboratory Safety Standards According to EHS
• Training and Overseeing Students and Faculty
• Teaching Courses in the School of Design and Community Development
• Assist laboratory experiments in the lab through data collection, management, and analysis; supervise students in laboratories and instruct new students on the operation of lab equipment; and assist in organizing/collating data for statistical analyses and interpretation.
• Act as lab safety liaison with the Chemical Hygiene and Safety Officer (CHO); and maintain shared equipment among all labs for the Amy Bircher Textiles Lab

• Master’s degree in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design or related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 0-6 months experience in a related field

Experience with the following is preferred:

• Aware of proper storage and disposal of chemicals.
• Computer and data management.
• Ability to speak to students in a classroom environment about chemicals and lab practices.
• Set up and organize lab space for teaching labs.
• Experience operating, calibrating, and validating a wide variety of instruments for data collection.
• Effective communication, organizational, task management, and computational skills.
• Familiarity with textiles processing procedures and techniques.
• Excellent written and oral skills.
• Needs to be familiar with and able to follow WVU, College and School lab policies and procedures.
• Research collection, handling, and preparation.
• Ability to maintain data in Excel files for research, lab safety, chemical storage and disposal, etc.
• Computer and data management.
• Interact with students in teaching/lab environment.
• Set up and organization of labs.
• Basic Understanding of ASTM Standards Commonly Used for Testing Fabrics.
• Basic Textile Knowledge of Fibers and Fabrics.
• Weaving (technical and mechanical).
• Spinning.
• Dyeing (Natural and Synthetic).
• Fiber Processing.
• Garment Construction.
• Industrial Sewing Machine Maintenance.
• Felting.
• Screen and Block Printing.
• 3D Printing.
• CAD Software.
• Basic Carpentry.
• Horticulture Experience (growing plants for dyes).
• Previous Science Lab Experience.
• Interact with general public and others.
• Ability to travel, with occasional overnight stays.
• Ability to obtain State P-Card.

• Valid driver’s license required to travel to farms and/or other sites using state vehicle.
  
• Must be able to obtain EHS lab safety and chemical training prior to obtaining access to labs.

At West Virginia University, we leverage our talents and resources to create a better future for our state and the world. As West Virginia's land-grant university, WVU has three campuses that touch each corner of the state. The WVU System includes 518 buildings on 15,880 acres, Extension Service offices in all 55 counties, ten experimental farms and four forests.

From the groundbreaking R1 research of our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs of WVU Potomac State in Keyser to the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley — the contributions of WVU employees directly impact the 1.8 million people of West Virginia every day, no matter their role or position.

Service, curiosity, respect, accountability, and appreciation are the core values that unite Mountaineers, inspiring one another to work tirelessly and support others as they seek to reach new heights. After all, when you're a Mountaineer, impossible is just another mountain to climb.

Creating an inclusive, engaged, and dynamic learning environment is core to WVU’s academic mission. We welcome candidates who can contribute a range of ideas, approaches and experiences.

To learn more about West Virginia University, visit go.wvu.edu. View current career opportunities at careers.wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.