ABOUT CRYSTAL CHEM

Crystal Chem is a specialty biochemical company headquartered in Itasca, IL. For decades, researchers around the world have relied on our ultra-sensitive ELISA kits to power their most demanding experiments. We are a small, focused team — the kind where your work shows up directly in the product, and your ideas actually get heard. We are growing, and we need a Production Associate to help us keep up. This is a hands-on, bench-level role at the center of everything we make and ship.

THE OPPORTUNITY

This role is built for someone who wants to start their career doing real work from day one — not watching from the sidelines. You will be in the lab running ELISA production, assembling kits, and learning how a small manufacturing operation works end to end. Understanding the full lifecycle of a product — from the bench to the box — is what separates someone who just runs assays from someone who understands the business. Some days you will be pipetting standards, and other days you will be sealing up a shipment. Both matter, and we need someone who sees it that way. If you are looking for a place to build real skills, take ownership early, and grow with a team that is actively expanding, this is a strong place to start.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Perform hands-on ELISA production including reagent preparation, bottling, labeling, and quality control checks
• Assemble and package finished ELISA kits according to batch records and SOPs
• Maintain accurate documentation — batch records, logbooks, and inventory logs
• Receive and organize incoming materials and maintain inventory
• Follow and help maintain SOPs, flagging anything that is unclear or could be improved
• Support the production team on whatever needs doing — this is a small company and flexibility matters

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We care more about how you think and work than how long your resume is. This role is open to recent graduates and to candidates with a few years of laboratory or production experience. What matters most is that you are dependable, pay attention to detail, can work through an unfamiliar problem without getting stuck, and are comfortable in a role where the work changes day to day. If most of the following describe you, we want to hear from you.

• A BS in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a related science
• Careful, detail-oriented lab habits — you follow protocols and notice when something is off
• Comfort with physical work: standing, lifting, moving boxes, and working on your feet
• A willingness to learn systems, ask questions, and take feedback well
• Enough organization to juggle bench work and shipping tasks in the same day without dropping anything

BONUS POINTS

These are not requirements, but they will help you hit the ground running.

• Any laboratory experience, even through coursework
• Experience in a production, manufacturing, or QC setting — even a student role or co-op
• Exposure to batch records, SOPs, or regulated documentation of any kind
• An experience where you wore multiple hats to complete multiple projects simultaneously

WHAT WE OFFER

• Training from experienced scientists and production staff who will invest in your development
• A collaborative environment led by a PhD-level Director of Manufacturing & Product Development with over a decade at the company
• Real ownership from the start — your work goes directly into products used by researchers worldwide
• A clear growth path as the team expands and you build skills
• Newly redesigned lab and manufacturing facilities in Itasca, IL, convenient to the broader Chicago suburbs
• Competitive salary and a full benefits package
• The stability of a well-established company with a loyal international customer base — and the energy of a team that is still growing

TO APPLY

Apply through this posting. We review applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply early.

Pay:

$50,000.00

• $60,000.

00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Health insurance Paid time off Application Question(s): Describe an assay or laboratory procedure you have run yourself, start to finish. What were the steps, and what did you do when a result came back outside of expectations? Briefly describe your hands-on laboratory experience.

Work Location:

In person