Laboratory Instructional Technician - GHC - Tacoma Community College : Job Details

Who We AreLocated in the scenic Puget Sound area with Mount Rainier in the distance, Tacoma is the third largest city in Washington State with a thriving and diverse community of over 200,000 residents. Tacoma Community College (TCC) was built on the ancestral territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Puyallup. The 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty forcibly removed them to the Puyallup Reservation to make way for settlers; we recognize the privilege of utilizing this land has come at great cost. We honor the resilience of the Puyallup people, who still live here, defend their rights, and contribute greatly to the well-being of this community. Our institution aims to increase partnerships and community ties with the local indigenous populations. TCC is committed to increasing Native visibility by developing more culturally responsive curriculum.Moreover, TCC stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and the Black community by further strengthening collaboration with the Black Student Union as well as community entities such as the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, the Tacoma Urban League, and local black-owned businesses. We are committed to infusing and incorporating more educational content focused on the lives and experiences of the Black community into our curriculum. We are examining and revising our policies and practices with the stated goal of becoming an anti-racist institution.Tacoma Community College is an Associate and Bachelor degree-granting public institution that serves a diverse population of approximately 12,000 students. We embrace our identity as a community college. Our Mission Statement says, “As the community's college, we create meaningful learning, advance equity, and strengthen student and community success.” To grow our workforce, we seek to recruit employees who exemplify these attributes:Committed to educating a racially and socioeconomically diverse student populationReflects the diversity of our communityValues intellectual curiosity and innovationHonors the campus mission to promote equitable access to educational opportunitiesCares about student success and collaborates on strategies to facilitate success for historically underserved populations,Welcomes difference and models respectful interaction with othersEngages with the community both within and outside of TCCPosition SummaryThis is a part-time hourly position that provides instructional support services to science classes offered at the Gig Harbor Campus (GHC) and main campus. The employee will prepare laboratory materials per faculty requirements and help coordinate use of the lab and equipment at the GHC. During non-busy periods at the GHC, the employee will work at the Tacoma campus. This position reports to the Instructional Classroom Support Technican and supports the SEM academic programs at TCC. Essential FunctionsWork with faculty and lead tech to support instructional programming in biologySet up and put away reagents, equipment, supplies or specimens for laboratory sessionsWork with faculty and lab staff to coordinate the laboratory activities and scheduleWork with faculty and lab staff to promote a safe laboratory environmentRecommend supply and equipment purchases related to the instructional programMonitor equipment for proper operation, needed repairs, and end of service replacementKeep laboratories, supplies, materials and equipment clean, organized and ready for usePerform related duties as assignedQualificationsDuties of the position requiring experience:Bachelor's degree in biology or related field, OR equivalent training and experienceMaintaining and operating various lab equipment, e.g. microscopes, probes, etc.Customer service experienceDuties of the position requiring knowledge, skills and abilities:All the duties listed under “Essential Functions”Safe handling and preparation of reagentsGood oral and written communication skillsStrong organizational skillsAbility to prioritizeConditions of EmploymentSuccessful completion of a criminal history background check prior to employment.Able to report to either work site providing own transportationAbility to stoop, bend, squat, reach, use a step stool, and carry up to 20 lbs frequentlyApplication ProcessApplication Materials & ProcedureComplete application packages must include the followingTacoma Community College online application.Cover letter and ResumeUnofficial TranscriptsTerms of EmploymentThis part-time hourly position is bound by the WAC 357-04-045 provisions above. This position has a variable work schedule, 10-12 hrs/week. The schedule is reasonably flexible as long as it meets the needs of courses during business hours, Monday - Friday during the academic year, Monday -Thursday during the summer. Work location is Gig Harbor Campus or Bldg 15 on the Tacoma campus. The salary is $18.00-$18.00/hr. Flexibility in scheduling is required to meet department needs. A collective bargaining agreement exists and membership in the Washington Federation of State Employees or payment of a membership fee may be required. TCC Part-time hourly and student employees including work-study students, will accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Hourly non-student employees may be applicable for comprehensive healthcare benefits package for you and your dependents includes medical, dental, and vision insurance. Life and long- term disability insurance plans and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: Community College values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. Tacoma Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, religion, or status as a veteran of war. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual conduct of various types). Provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Stephen Smith, Title VII and Title IX, Building 14, 253-###-####; Kathryn Held, Section 504 Officer, Building 7, 253-###-####. This recruitment announcement does not reflect the entire job description and can be changed and or modified without notice.Tacoma Community CollegeHuman Resources6501 S 19th St Bldg. 14, Tacoma WA 98466www.tacomacc.edu/about/employmentThe benefits information presented on this page is a summary of College provided benefits. This information is subject to change and is subject to the provisions of any legislative mandates and College policy changes. For more detailed information about Tacoma Community College (TCC) benefits, please do not hesitate to contact the College benefits coordinator at (253) ###-####.TCC offers a comprehensive benefits package which include medical, dental, life insurance, and long- term disability insurance through the Public Employee Benefits Board (PEBB), along with retirement benefits through TIAA and the Department of Retirement SystemEligibilityFull-time faculty, classified staff, administrators and professional staff are eligible for benefits. Hourly employees and part-time faculty may be eligible for benefits if, and when, they meet specific criteria and are notified by TCC Human Resources.Effective Date of CoverageCoverage begins the first day of the month following the date of hire, or date of achieving eligibility status. If the date of hire is the first working day of the month, coverage begins immediately.Health InsuranceMedical PlansEligible employees have several medical plan options to select from (provided by PEBB). Employees pay a monthly premium through payroll deduction.Premium Rates Effective January 1, 2024Resources:PEBB WebsiteMedical Plan informationPEBB Medical Plan ComparisonDental PlansEmployees choose from three dental plans. TCC covers the full dental premium for employees and enrolled dependents.Resource:Dental Plan ComparisonVisionCovered under medical plan chosen.Waiving Medical CoverageIf you have other employer-based medical insurance, Medicare or TRICARE, you have the option to waive PEBB medical coverage. Dental is mandatory for all eligible employees and cannot be waived, unless enrolled in dental coverage as a dependent under a SEBB (School District Employee Benefits Board) plan.Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) & Dependent Care Assistance Program (DCAP) & LimitedPurpose FSAFSA & DCAP accounts allow employees to set aside pre-taxed dollars to cover out-of-pocket health care and/or childcare expenses.Members of WFSE (HE CCC) and WPEA, will be eligible to receive a $250 FSA card if employed as of November 1, 2023 with an annual full-time equivalent salary of less than $60,000, and is enrolled in a non-CDHP medical plan as of January 1 of the plan year that FSA funds are made available. This card isissued by PEBB in the following January and does not count against the annual FSA limit, if enrolled in an FSA with Navia.The Limited Purpose FSA is eligible for employees who are enrolled in a consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) that has a Health Savings Account. The Limited Purpose FSA is only for dental and vision expenses.Resource:Navia Benefit SolutionsLife InsuranceBenefits eligible employees, lawful spouse or same-sex domestic partner, dependent children under 26 years of age are eligible to enroll in life insurance. Coverage is effective first of the month following the date of employment for basic coverage; for optional coverage, amounts become effective the first of the month following approval date.Basic Coverage: $35,000 Basic Term Life & $5,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) This is employer-provided at no cost to the employee.Supplemental Life Insurance Coverage(s): Any supplemental term life insurance and AD&D coverage for employee, lawful spouse, qualified same-sex domestic partner, and family is available at additional cost to the employee.Resource:MetLife Life InsuranceLong Term Disability(LTD)Basic LTD: Provides 60% of the first $400 pre-disability earnings, reduced by any deductible income at no cost to the employee.Supplemental LTD: Supplemental LTD coverage to replace at 60% or 50% of full pre-disability earnings is available at an additional cost to the employee.Resource:PEBB Long-Term Disability InsurancePAID LEAVEClassified staff, Administrators, and Professional staff are eligible for paid vacation, sick leave, and personal leave, along with paid federal holidays. Classified Monthly vacation entitlement amounts can vary from 11.33 to 16.67 hours per month depending on the length of state service. Administrator/Exempt Professional vacation leave is 16.00 hours per month. Monthly sick leave entitlement is 8.00 hours per month based on 100% FTE position and will be prorated accordingly if less than 100% FTE. Annual personal leave entitlement varies depending on employee type. Full-time classified, administrators, and professional staff are paid for all federal holidays.Full-time faculty receive 84.00 hours of paid sick leave per academic year along with 28.00 hours of personal leave. Full-time faculty are paid on an annual contract and do not receive pay for federal holidays.Part-time faculty receive sick leave each quarter using a formula based on the total FTE% from the cumulative teaching contracts issued to them that quarter. They would receive 7.00 hours of personal leave if they are issued a multi-quarter appointment at the start of the academic year. Part-time faculty do not receive pay for federal holidays.Part-time hourly and student employees receive 1 hour of sick leave for every 40 hours worked in a month (and fractions, thereof). Up to 40 hours of sick leave can carry over from one calendar year to the next.If a part-time hourly or student employee is hired into a full-time position, the sick leave hours earned in the part-time position do not carry over to the full-time position. Part-time hourly and student employees are not paid for federal holidays.Monthly entitlements are given at the beginning of the following month.All employees in salaried positions may take up to five days of paid bereavement time off for the death of a family member. This is separate from the sick leave or vacation leave.RETIREMENTRetirement participation is mandatory for retirement benefit eligible TCC employees. Employees are offered a choice between two retirement plans and that choice is generally irrevocable while employed at TCC.Classified Employees and (retirement eligible) Part-Time hourly:Classified employees and eligible part-time hourly employees must choose between the Public Employees Retirement Systems (PERS) Plan 2 or Plan 3. More information about these plans can be found at this link: Department of Retirement Systems PlansFaculty:Faculty can choose to enroll in the State Board Retirement Plan (SBRP) with the plan administrator being TIAA or the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) Plan 2 or Plan 3 administered by the Department of Retirement System (DRS). Prior history in any of these plans may limit current plan choice. Click here to compare TRS Plan 2, TRS Plan 3, and SBRP.SBRP -TIAA – This is a Defined Contribution Plan. The employee contributes a mandatory defined amount and the state matches the employee's contributions. Contribution rates are based on age.TRS Plan 2 – A 401(a) defined benefit plan. TCC and employee contribute a percentage of salary to fund the plan. Your monthly benefit at retirement will be based on your earned service credit and compensation.TRS Plan 3 – A 401(a) hybrid plan with Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution components. The defined contribution portion of the plan is funded through mandatory employee contributions. The employee may choose between six contribution options. TCC contributes to Defined Benefit part.Administrative/Exempt EmployeesAdministrators and Exempt employees may choose to participate in the State Board Retirement Plan (SBRP), administered by TIAA, or the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 or Plan 3, administered by the Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). Prior history in a Washington State Retirement Plan may limit plan choice. Click here to compare PERS Plan 2, PERS Plan 3, and SBRP.SBRP/TIAA – This is a 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan. The employee contributes a mandatory defined amount and the state matches the employee's contributions. Contribution rates are based on age.PERS Plan 2 – A 401(a) defined benefit plan. TCC and employee contribute a percentage of salary to fund the plan. Your monthly benefit at retirement will be based on your earned service credit and compensation.PERS Plan 3 – A 401(a) hybrid plan with Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution components. The defined contribution portion of the plan is funded through mandatory employee contributions. The employee may choose between six contribution options. TCC contributes to Defined Benefit part.PERS Rates Effective September 1, 2023TRS Rates Effective September 1, 2023.State Board Retirement Plan (SBRP) - Contributions Rates:Contributions are based on your age:Voluntary Retirement Savings:State Board Voluntary Investment Program (SBVIP):SBVIP is a voluntary, optional, unmatched retirement savings plan, operating under Section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), administered by TIAA. SBVIP participants may contribute on a pre-tax and/or after-tax (Roth) basis, up to the annual IRS limit and can start and stop their contributions at any time during employment. Contact Human Resources to start/stop contributions.Deferred Compensation Program (DCP):Tax-deferred savings plan administered by the Department of Retirement Systems. New Full-timeemployees are automatically enrolled in DCP 3 months after hire at a contribution rate of 3%. Employees are sent a notification letter within approximately 30 days of hire. This notice includes information about auto-enrollment and the necessary steps to take if one chooses to opt-out or make changes to their DCP enrollment. Contributions can be changed at any time during employment. Following the initial auto- enrollment possibility, employees would contact DRS to setup contributions and can contribute on a pre- tax basis up to the annual IRS limit.Tuition WaiverAdministrative, Classified, Full-time Faculty, and Part-Time faculty employed for more than 50% FTE are eligible to register for space-available classes, up to 10 credits per quarter, with the State Employee Tuition Waiver program. Class registration and any applicable class fee will still apply. Click here for the Tuition Waiver form(Download PDF reader).Liberty MutualPEBB members may receive a discount of up to 12% off Liberty Mutual's auto insurance rates and up to 5% off of Liberty Mutual's home insurance rates.Contact Liberty Mutual at 1-800-###-#### and mention that you are a State of Washington PEBB Member (client #8246) or visit a local Liberty Mutual office and let them know you are State of Washington PEBB Member (client #8246) for a quote.Collective Bargaining Agreements:WFSE Higher Education Community College Coalition: WFSE (HE CCC) CBA(Download PDF reader)WPEA Higher Education: WPEA CBA(Download PDF reader)WFSE Represented Exempt Bargaining Unit: WFSE-Exempt CBATCC Faculty Negotiated Agreement: TCC Faculty Negotiated Agreement01Which best describes your level of education? High School graduate or equivalentSome CollegeAssociates degree from an accredited college or universityBachelors degree from an accredited college or universityMasters degree or higher from an accredited college or university02Please explain your experience maintaining and operating various lab equipment, e.g. microscopes, probes, etc.03How many years of experience maintaining and operating various lab equipment, e.g. microscopes, probes, etc. do you possess? NoneLess than 1 yearMore than 1 year and less than 2 yearsMore than 2 years and less than 4 yearsMore than 4 years and less than 6 yearsOver 6 years04Do you have customer service experience? YesNo05Do you have the ability to stoop, bend, squat, reach, use a step stool, and carry up to 20 lbs frequently? YesNo06Do you have transportation to report to the Main (Tacoma) and Gig Harbor campuses? YesNoRequired Question