Department: Molecular and Cellular Biology
This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph
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)
General Purpose
The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) at the University of Guelph invites applications for an Infrastructure and Operations Coordinator. Reporting to the Manager, Laboratory Operations and Infrastructure, the successful candidate will coordinate day-to-day operational activities that support the safe, effective, and efficient operation of the Department’s research and teaching laboratories, support rooms, shared equipment, cold-storage areas, and related infrastructure. The position also provides technical expertise, procedural guidance, and operational training to faculty, staff, researchers, and students.
The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology is one of Canada’s leading departments in biomedical and molecular sciences, with strengths spanning immunology, microbiology, infection biology, cancer biology, neuroscience, structural biology, bioinformatics, and cell biology. Within the Summerlee Science Complex, the Department’s infrastructure includes 25 research laboratories, 116 support rooms, and 12 teaching laboratories across three floors.
The Infrastructure and Operations Coordinator is responsible for the daily operational and ongoing readiness of the Research and Teaching Laboratories within the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary operational contact for routine technical infrastructure matters and perform preventive maintenance, monitoring, inventory control, operational checks, minor repairs, and basic servicing of shared departmental equipment and infrastructure. Coordinate maintenance schedules, external repairs, certification activities, service access, equipment audits, and replacement recommendations in consultation with the Manager.
- Conduct routine inspections and operational-readiness checks of shared research and teaching laboratories, support rooms, equipment areas, cold-storage facilities, and related infrastructure, and assist with urgent operational or facility-related incidents.
- Provide technical guidance and operational training to research and teaching personnel on safe operating procedures, equipment use, research-specific techniques, and shared laboratory processes.
- Support departmental biosafety and health and safety compliance through inspections, committee and audit activities, documentation, corrective-action follow-up, and the development and maintenance of SOPs, emergency protocols, and related operational records.
- Coordinate and assist with equipment installations, relocations and commissioning; laboratory moves and minor decommissions; infrastructure inventories and improvement projects; and laboratory setup for shared spaces and new faculty laboratories. Liaise with Physical Resources, vendors, contractors, and service personnel as required.
- Prepare biological buffers and microbial media and undertake associated laboratory preparation, wash-up, biohazard disposal, autoclave, and sterilization activities as a substantive component of departmental operations support, including during absences, vacations, peak workload periods, and operational emergencies.
- Support shared-laboratory optimization, equipment reliability, and other departmental operational-improvement initiatives.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by the Manager, Laboratory Operations and Infrastructure or the MCB Chair.
Requirements
- A two-year diploma in Biotechnology/ Biological Research or a related discipline.
- Two years or more of hands-on practical research laboratory experience, preferably in a post-secondary, research, or industrial environment.
- Hands-on experience with specialized scientific techniques and the scientific background required to guide staff, students, and faculty through procedural instruction and technical training.
- Experience maintaining, performing minor repairs on, and troubleshooting a broad selection of scientific instrumentation and shared laboratory equipment, including centrifuges, autoclaves or steamers, ice machines, freezers, and associated infrastructure.
- Demonstrated experience with aseptic technique and the preparation of biological buffers and microbial media.
- Demonstrated knowledge of laboratory safety practices, biosafety requirements, health and safety response protocols, and technical laboratory procedures.
- Proficiency with basic hand tools and the ability to work in tight or awkward spaces and lift or move items weighing more than 50 lb when installing or relocating equipment.
- Excellent organizational, communication, analytical problem-solving, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work independently and collaboratively and to liaise effectively with faculty, staff, students, administrative units, Physical Resources, vendors, and contractors.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and strong computer skills.
Preference will be given to candidates with:
- Experience providing procedural guidance, technical instruction, or formal equipment training to faculty, staff, students, or other laboratory personnel.
- Experience with specialized equipment such as high-speed or ultracentrifuges, sterilization equipment, gel documentation systems, French pressure cells, water-filtration systems, plate spectrophotometers, sonication instruments, liquid-scintillation counters, lyophilizers, or automated plate pourers.
- Experience supporting equipment maintenance documentation, laboratory inspections, corrective-action tracking, or operational-improvement projects in a research or teaching environment.
Experience in the following area would be considered an asset:
- Familiarity with basic electrical or electronic systems as applied to scientific-equipment troubleshooting.
- Graphic design, multimedia and creative software.
Why Join MCB?
This position offers an opportunity to:
- Contribute directly to the operational readiness and safe functioning of a large, diverse research and teaching laboratory environment.
- Work collaboratively with faculty, staff, researchers, students, service providers, and University partners across the Department.
- Support continuous improvement in shared laboratory infrastructure, equipment reliability, safety, and service delivery.
Employee Type: Regular Position Number: 10144062
Classification: Not Applicable
Professional/Managerial Salary Bands
The target hiring salary for this position is minimum and up to 96% of midpoint for the salary grade.
*Tentative evaluation; subject to committee 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: 09/28/2026 Closing Date: 10/05/2026
