Job summary:
The Laboratory Technician (LT), reporting to the Senior Analyst, is responsible for carrying out the following functions within the Laboratory Services (LS) Business Unit:
- Ensures accurate and timeous completion of prescribed analytical protocols and accompanying administrative duties.
- Optimizes the use of the equipment in the preparative section of the laboratory
- Ensure service delivery to customers
- Self-Management
- Minimize Financial Risks
- Statutory Duties
- Implementation of QMS (ISO 17025)
- Communication and reporting to internal stakeholders.
Key responsibilities: The LT would be required to work in the Pesticides unit. The following key responsibilities would form part of the particular position:
Statutory Duties
- Compliance to statutory requirements
- Optimum use of analytical equipment to ensure maximum through-put in the laboratory
- Maximize analytical sample volumes per day.
Maintenance and improvement of methods
- Ensure that any improvements are made to the methods if necessary.
- Ensure equipment maintenance and verification
- Participate in proficiency testing.
Quality Control
- Performs Internal verification of Equipment
- Ensures that the accommodation and environmental conditions of the lab are controlled and recorded accordingly.
- Checking quality and suitability of chemicals.
Technical processes –implementation
- Sample receipt – LIMS.
- Extraction of raw materials
- Weighing, mixing and filtering
- Equipment verification (balances, volumetric flasks, pipettes)
- QuEChERS Extraction method.
- Preparation of final extracts for GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS analysis.
- Preparation of reference standards (weighing, mixing and filtering).
- Preparation of daily solvents and standards.
- Participation in proficiency testing schemes.
Meetings
- Participate in laboratory staff meetings
Implementation of QMS (ISO 17025)
- Implement standard QMS protocols • Consistent and correct application of analytical methods • Compliance to statutory requirements • Records all non-conformances observed for further investigation.
Communication, Advising and Reporting
- Comment and report timely on irregularities
- Advise Senior Analyst on achievements and short comings of Lab QMS (ISO 17025)
- Effective communication and reporting that leads to improved internal relationships and decisions
- Ensures that all test results comply with the documented quality control criteria.