Lab Assistant

Job Title:

Lab Assistant Job Description Join our team as a Lab Assistant where you'll be responsible for various greenhouse and growth chamber activities. This role involves working closely with soybean plants, focusing on tasks such as planting, pollinating, tissue sampling, pest and disease scouting, harvesting, threshing, and general plant care. You will be part of a dynamic environment dedicated to plant science and genetic research. Responsibilities Perform day-to-day greenhouse and growth chamber activities including planting, pollinating, and tissue sampling. Conduct pest and disease scouting, harvesting, threshing, and discarding of plants. Ensure chamber sanitation, general plant care, and maintain safety standards. Collect tissue samples from soybean plants for DNA analysis. Water, pot soil, and care for all plants in the growth chamber. Replant samples after data review and assist in operating the soybean threshing machine. Plate samples for testing by the Molecular Marker group. Clean the facility and perform other basic duties as assigned. Maintain plants by trimming, training, and node cleaning. Cross-pollinate plants and manage plant discard processes. Work with soybean, wheat, pollen, and dust. Essential Skills Experience in horticulture, greenhouse management, plant care, agriculture, botany, and biology. Knowledge of soybean, tissue collection, transplanting, plant genetics, biotechnology, growth chamber operations, harvesting, and threshing. Additional Skills & Qualifications Associates or Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences such as Horticulture, Agriculture, or Agricultural Studies is preferred but not required. At least 6 months of greenhouse or field experience is advantageous. Open to working in a greenhouse environment rather than a lab. Work Environment The position is based in a large, climate-controlled facility with 32 growth chambers for soybean plants. Expect to work in warm conditions of 80-85 degrees, standing for long periods, and occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds. The dress code is casual, with jeans, work-appropriate shirts, and closed-toed shoes required. The role offers an open-ended, long-term contract with typical working hours from 7 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday to Friday, totaling 35-40 hours per week. Weekend work is required two out of every five weeks, with shifts on both Saturday and Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM, and a compensatory day off during the week. This is a physically demanding role that involves repetitive motions using tweezers. Job Type & Location This is a Contract position based out of Johnston, IA. Pay and Benefits The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $20.00/hr. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave) Workplace Type This is a fully onsite position in Johnston,IA.

Application Deadline This position is anticipated to close on Mar 26, 2026. Diversity, Equity & Inclusion At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through: Hiring diverse talent Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes Ensuring growth opportunities for our people Actalent is an equal opportunity employer. About Actalent Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day. Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.