<Chemical Prepartions Technician>

Department:

Chemistry

Effective Date:

May, 2012

Grade:

USG 6

37.5 hr/wk

Reports to:

Chemistry Undergraduate laboratory Coordinator

General Accountability

The incumbent must have a thorough and up‐to‐date background in chemistry, especially of common laboratory
reagents. A strong B.Sc. in Chemistry is the minimal requirement. The Chemical Preparations Technician works
closely with the Chemistry Laboratory Instructors and the Chemistry Stores staff. Following consultations with the
Laboratory Instructors, the incumbent is responsible each term for supplying the undergraduate laboratories with
all chemicals, reagents, and analyzed samples required to carry out the experiments in the various laboratory
courses operated by the Department of Chemistry. Both the ability to be a self‐starter who can work
independently, with little or no direct supervision, and the ability to interact well with other staff members are
necessary attributes of any person who is to hold this position.

Nature and Scope

The duties associated with this position are outlined below. Following consultation with the Department Associate
Chair, the Undergraduate Laboratory Coordinator may assign other related duties from time to time.

• to supply required chemicals and prepare solutions for all Chemistry and Nanotechnology
undergraduate laboratory courses that the Chemistry department is responsible for;
• to prepare required solutions and reagents in advance whenever possible;
• to ensure that all required standardized solutions are properly prepared (using at least three trials with
appropriate relative deviations specified by the appropriate Laboratory Instructor);
• to prepare code sheets for unknowns and to prepare samples to be used as unknowns;
• to prepare chemicals needed for experiments to be carried out during high‐school and public visits and
assist with the set‐up and presentation of these experiments;
• to keep up‐to‐date log books;
• to maintain and modify preparation sheets;
• to maintain reagent spread‐sheets for both common and specific reagents required in every laboratory
course;
• to maintain running inventories on appropriate computerized databases;
• to anticipate future needs and order chemicals as needed;
• to monitor shipments and distribution of orders to the individual laboratories;
• to conduct stocktaking of chemicals (of the order of 600 items) in April/May of each year; this task
involves going to several locations and requires the preparation of a large chemical order (of the order
of 100 items);
• to maintain running cost estimates for each laboratory course using appropriate spread‐sheet
software;

Statistical Data

Supply chemicals weekly or daily to:
Fall Term (# of students, 2010) Winter Term (# of students, 2011) Spring Term (# of students, 2011)
Chem 120L (1282) Chem 123L (1005) Chem 123L (75)
Chem 220L (119) Chem 224L (31) Chem 224L (48)
Chem 237L (181) Chem 237L (187) Chem 228L (55)
Chem 335L (35) Chem 335L (18) Chem 237L (46)
-2-
Supply chemicals at the beginning of the term and as requested by Laboratory Instructors during the term to:
Fall Term (# of students, 2010) Winter Term (# of students, 2011) Spring Term (# of students, 2011)
Chem 250L (30) Chem 262L (63) Chem 265L (44)
Chem 262L (67) Chem 265L (46)
Chem 266L (563) Chem 267L (300)
Chem 310L (20) Chem 313L (18)
Chem 350L (16) Chem 360L (67)
Chem 382L (9) NE 122 (lab in course) (141)
NE 224 (lab in course) (92)
NE 330L (87)

Specific Accountabilities

The Chemical Preparations Technician will report to the Undergraduate Laboratory Coordinator.

Working Conditions

The Chemical Preparations Technician duties include the preparation of hazardous chemicals. The incumbent must
have a working knowledge of hazardous materials and have completed WHMIS training at the University of
Waterloo. The incumbent must be capable of lifting carboys of the order of 20 kg.