Senior Technician - CICET

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: SSA
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $63,234.71 - $63,234.71

Position Summary

The Columbia Institute for Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET) is seeking a Senior Technician to support laboratory operations across its research labs. The Senior Technician will serve as a member of the CICET Operations Team and provide operational support for shared laboratory spaces, common equipment, supplies, and environmental systems. Responsibilities include supporting freezer rooms, cold rooms, LN₂ and CO₂ manifolds, and LN₂ storage systems, and associated alarm and monitoring platforms, as well as coordinating routine maintenance and service activities.

Reporting to the Senior Program Manager, the Senior Technician will coordinate equipment maintenance, service contracts, facilities requests, laboratory relocations, and safety-related operational activities for shared spaces. The position will serve as a primary point of contact between CICET laboratories and CUIMC Laboratory Operations regarding shared equipment and infrastructure.

The Senior Technician will assist with purchasing, inventory management, vendor coordination, charge allocation, documentation, and user training for shared equipment and operational systems. The incumbent will respond to routine operational issues and provide technical and logistical support to CICET faculty, staff, and research personnel.

This position is well suited for an individual interested in developing expertise in laboratory operations, research support services, and shared scientific infrastructure.

Responsibilities

Shared Laboratory Space and Environmental Systems

• Coordinate day-to-day operations of shared laboratory spaces, including freezer rooms, cold rooms, lockers, conference rooms, and break rooms. Monitor LN₂ and CO₂ manifolds and storage systems and coordinate routine maintenance, vendor service, and alarm response activities. Support the maintenance of shared freezers, including defrosting, alarm systems, temperature monitoring, space assignments, and emergency contact information
• Monitor and respond to LN₂ level alarms and coordinate emergency LN₂ refills/vendor deliveries
• Coordinate with Custodial and Facilities for work orders and follow-up
• Maintain CICET-managed conference rooms, including managing shared calendars and room reservations, and coordinating meeting preparation and cleaning
• Support CICET laboratories with shared resources, including lab coats, dry ice, wet ice, gases, autoclaves (where applicable), eyewash stations, glassware, and water stations
• Prepare and restock basic laboratory solutions and buffers (e.g., media, ethanol) for tissue culture rooms and shared lab spaces, including associated autoclaving/sterilization of solutions and supplies

Equipment Maintenance, Service Contracts, and Alarm Systems

• Track service contracts and renewals, including repairs, certifications, and preventive maintenance for shared equipment and alarm systems
• Support CICET laboratories with equipment alarm systems, including Fusion Live account setup, alert subscriptions, alarm response, and vendor coordination
• Support the installation and commissioning of new large-scale equipment, including coordinating delivery preparations and setup and verifying proper operation
• Support laboratory and equipment relocations
• Serve as the primary operational contact between CICET laboratories and CUIMC Laboratory Operations regarding shared laboratory equipment and infrastructure.

Instrument-Specific Maintenance & Servicing

• In collaboration with the CICET laboratory managers, coordinate preventive maintenance, calibration, and service visits for flow cytometers and imaging systems, including scheduling vendor field engineers and tracking QC logs.
• Coordinate certification, maintenance, and documentation activities for biosafety cabinets (BSCs) and laminar flow hoods, including annual certification scheduling and associated recordkeeping.
• Coordinate maintenance for CO₂ and tri-gas incubators, including calibration checks and decontamination cycles
• In collaboration with the CICET laboratory managers, oversee centrifuges (including ultracentrifuges), electroporators/nucleofection systems, and other shared equipment, including service contracts and operator troubleshooting support
• Set up, track, and support cold chain shipping/receiving for biological materials tied to cross-institutional collaborations

Purchasing, Inventory, and Financial Administration

• Order common supplies and manage inventory for shared laboratory and CICET spaces
• Process purchase orders, invoices, and related documentation associated with laboratory equipment maintenance, service contracts, and operational supplies.
• Track expenses associated with shared laboratory resources, including preparation of basic laboratory solutions and buffers, equipment maintenance, service contracts, and common supplies, and allocate charges to the appropriate laboratories
• Support the training of new CICET laboratories on Marketplace ordering procedures
• Monitor shared receiving areas, identify intended recipients, and promptly notify laboratories of unattended or temperature-sensitive packages. Individual laboratories remain responsible for routine tracking, receipt, and handling of their deliveries.

Standard Operating Procedures, Documentation, and Onboarding

• Assist in the development, implementation, maintenance, and periodic revision of standard operating procedures for CICET-managed shared spaces, laboratory equipment, environmental systems, and emergency response activities.
• Maintain the CICET Operations Team Manual, user guides, equipment records, and related operational documentation.
• Coordinate onboarding and orientation activities for new laboratory personnel regarding shared resources, operational procedures, and safety requirements.

Safety, Compliance, and CICET User Support

• Support laboratories with EHS, FDNY, and limited IRB/IACUC compliance processes as they relate to laboratory safety and equipment, including required signage, eyewash records, and LN₂ room compliance
• Provide user training, technical guidance, and operational support for shared laboratory equipment and associated systems.
• Investigate, troubleshoot, and assist in resolving day-to-day laboratory operational issues.
• Perform additional duties as assigned as needed to support the laboratory operations of the Institute

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's Degree, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• A minimum of 1.5 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an academic or biomedical research laboratory, or in laboratory or research facilities operations.
• Working knowledge of shared laboratory equipment and environmental systems, such as ultra-low freezers, LN2 and CO2 systems, biosafety cabinets, incubators, and centrifuges.
• Familiarity with equipment monitoring and alarm platforms (e.g., Fusion Live) and with vendor service contract coordination
• Experience with institutional purchasing systems, invoice processing, and expense allocation
• Familiarity with EHS, FDNY, IRB/IACUC, or comparable laboratory safety and compliance requirements
• Technical accuracy, reliability, and attention to the details of procedural protocols, organizational skills, adherence to safety guidelines and the ability to work in a team
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and a strong interest in biological sciences
• Consistently strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build and sustain effective working relationships
• Professionalism, dependability and exemplary work ethics
• Long-term commitment preferred
• Basic wet-lab and sterile technique skills, including solution preparation and autoclave operation

Other Requirements

• The candidate selected for this position is required to undergo a drug screening test prior to a final offer of employment being made.
• Medical clearance and participation in the medical surveillance program.
  • Potential bloodborne pathogen exposure
• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.