What are the responsibilities and job description for the Tissue Culture Lab Technician position at Pride Staffing?
The Tissue Culture Lab Technician is responsible for supporting the propagation and maintenance of cannabis plant tissue cultures in a controlled laboratory environment. This role requires exceptional attention to detail, outstanding organizational skills, and the ability to follow highly detailed procedures with precision. Success in this position depends on maintaining sterile techniques, accurately documenting work, and consistently producing high-quality results while adhering to established laboratory protocols. Individuals who thrive in this role are patient, methodical, highly organized, and take pride in performing repetitive tasks with a high degree of accuracy.
Successful Tissue Culture Lab Technicians are naturally detail-oriented, organized, and patient. They enjoy structured work, take pride in keeping meticulous records, and understand that even small mistakes can impact an entire crop. They consistently maintain a clean workspace, follow procedures without shortcuts, and approach every task with precision and care.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Perform cannabis tissue culture propagation using aseptic (sterile) laboratory techniques.
- Prepare, transfer, and maintain plant tissue cultures according to established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Monitor cultures for growth, contamination, and overall health.
- Prepare and sterilize laboratory equipment, media, and supplies.
- Maintain strict cleanliness and sanitation standards within the laboratory.
- Label, organize, and track cultures, samples, and laboratory materials with exceptional accuracy.
- Maintain detailed and accurate records of laboratory activities, observations, and production data.
- Follow laboratory schedules and production timelines while maintaining quality standards.
- Identify and report contamination, abnormalities, or process deviations promptly.
- Assist with inventory management of laboratory supplies and consumables.
- Ensure compliance with all company policies, California cannabis regulations, and workplace safety standards.
- Support continuous improvement efforts by identifying opportunities to improve laboratory organization and efficiency.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Required
- High school diploma or GED required; Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Plant Science, Horticulture, Agriculture, Microbiology, or a related field is preferred.
- Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple detailed tasks simultaneously.
- Outstanding attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Ability to follow written procedures exactly as instructed.
- Strong record keeping and documentation skills.
- Ability to perform repetitive work while maintaining consistency and precision.
- Comfortable working independently as well as collaboratively within a team.
- Reliable attendance and punctuality.
- Must be at least 21 years of age and able to meet all applicable California cannabis employment requirements.
Preferred
- Previous laboratory, tissue culture, plant propagation, greenhouse, nursery, agriculture, or cannabis cultivation experience.
- Experience working in sterile laboratory environments.
- Familiarity with Good Documentation Practices (GDP) or laboratory quality standards.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Highly organized with excellent time management skills.
- Strong ability to concentrate on detailed work for extended periods.
- Excellent manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
- Ability to maintain sterile techniques and prevent contamination.
- Critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
- Strong communication skills and willingness to learn.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities while maintaining accuracy.
Work Environment
- Operations: This position will work in an indoor manufacturing facility with controlled temperatures; may be exposed to bright lighting, loud equipment, airborne particles, moving mechanical parts, and working in proximity with staff and vendors.
- Indoor cultivation, production, laboratory and/or manufacturing environment.
- Frequent exposure to cannabis plant material and laboratory supplies.
- Required use of PPE, including gloves, lab coats, masks, and eye protection, as applicable.
- Work requires adherence to laboratory cleanliness, safety, and compliance standards.
- Fast-paced environment where organization, consistency, and attention to detail are essential.
Job Requirements
- Work revolves around objectives, projects, and priorities, not hours; must be able to work weekends, holidays, and occasional overtime as needed.
- Must be able to stand, walk, lift, sit, and bend for a majority of their work schedule.
- Frequent use of hands and fingers to package and label products.
- Work requires strict adherence to sterile procedures and cleanliness standards.
- Sufficient visual acuity to inspect products and labels for quality and accuracy.
- Ability to distinguish labels, numbers, and small details accurately.
- Must be 21 years of age or older.
- Must comply with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry.
- Selected candidates will be required to complete a post offer, pre-employment background check with the local law enforcement or Desert Hot Springs Police Department.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions:
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
- Some lifting, squatting, bending, pushing and pulling.
- Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds on a regular basis without assistance.
- Regularly required to stand, walk, sit, bend, lift, push, pull, talk and hear for extended periods of time.