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Laboratory Technician

* A full-time term-time position with some additional hours during holidays. Ideal commencement date: 24 February with handover days in previous week.

The College:

Set in an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Range escarpment in Australia’s Garden City of Toowoomba, Â鶹ÊÓƵCollege is one of Australia’s leading independent girls’ schools with around 800 students from Kindy to Year 12.

Â鶹ÊÓƵstudents enjoy outstanding success in the academic pursuit (close to 95% of Year 12 students proceed to tertiary studies each year), as well as in sporting, cultural and service activities. Please explore further on the College website to learn more about Fairholme’s offerings and our students’ achievement

From the establishment of our predecessor school in 1908, through the move to our current location in 1917 and into the 21st century, Â鶹ÊÓƵis committed to a student enrolment split roughly 40/60 between country boarders and Toowoomba day girls, and to single-sex girls’ education.

A College of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland, Â鶹ÊÓƵis committed to creating a caring Christian community where all we do is undergirded by our Christian faith.

The Position

RESPONSIBLE TO: Business Manager through Head of Science

REPORTS TO: Head of Science

KEY FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS: Head of Science; Teachers; Laboratory Technician, Students.

The Person

The Laboratory Technician maintains the Science facilities across the College and supports the delivery of science programs by sourcing and preparing materials for practical classes, maintaining stock and equipment, and providing relevant assistance to teachers and students.

Working closely with teaching staff, and the existing Laboratory Technician, focus will be upon on the delivery of quality outcomes on a professional and timely basis.

Ethos, Values and Culture:

• Demonstrate support for and demonstrate personal alliance with the College’s Christian values and ethos.
• Be a collegial member of the Science Department with a collaborative approach to all work tasks.
• Understand and enact appropriate professional boundaries – especially when working on a one-on-one situation.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support of Science Staff:

• Liaise with science staff on their needs for practical work and maintain an efficient system for use and allocation of materials, chemicals and equipment using the RiskAssess system for the booking of experiments.
• Trial first then demonstrate experiments and laboratory techniques to teachers and others and advise on chemical and equipment safety matters where appropriate.
• Liaise with senior students in regard to their equipment and material needs for experiments and advise them on appropriate safety procedures as directed by staff.
• Prepare materials, solutions, stains, media, specimens and apparatus required for class practical work and teacher demonstrations.
• Support practical classes by preparing chemical substances according to recognised procedures, set up equipment where required, check and maintain equipment and organise for repairs and packing away equipment and materials after use.

Maintenance of Materials, Chemicals and Apparatus:

• Maintain safe storage systems for chemical substances in accordance with current government regulations and recommended practices. At all times, follow safe work practices.
• Provide information on the risk and assessment of hazardous substances in all experiments.
• Ensure chemical solutions, culture media and other laboratory reagents are prepared for each lesson in line with government regulations on the safe handling and labelling of chemicals – GHS (Globally Harmonised System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) and that chemicals are stored in the correct zones in accordance with the current government hazardous chemical regulations 
• Perform an annual stocktake of all chemicals.
• Ensure preparation rooms and laboratories are kept in a clean and orderly condition and that apparatus (glassware) is cleaned and retuned to designated storage areas after use.
• Organise equipment and supplies for field trips and science camps.
• Maintain an up to date, detailed equipment inventory, and check all equipment regularly, for its correct use and keep in working order. *Safety inspections of equipment such as eye washes and Bunsen hoses are to be performed on a frequent basis. 
• Inform the HOD and the WHSO of unsafe conditions and if facilities and safety equipment need to be upgraded immediately.
• Ensure adequate supply of chemicals, biological supplies, equipment, and administrative resources are ordered and maintained.
• Maintain the Chemwatch database and ensuring the currency of SDS as well as keeping the College’s Hazardous chemical spreadsheet & chemical risk assessments up to date.

Additional Roles:

• Undertake the role of Workplace Health and Safety Committee Representative and be responsible for attending regular committee meetings.
• Take up the role of Fire Warden and be responsible for ensuring the safety and removal of all within the Science Block at the time of a fire or a drill and after a lockdown.
• Assist with function/event coordination as requested by the HOD e.g. subject selection display, open day/orientation displays and science week activities
• Take and process the minutes from fortnightly science meetings and send out to all science staff.
• Any other duties as reasonably requested by the Science Head of Department.

Other Requirements:

• A current blue card, first aid currency and appropriate qualifications are required.
• Support of travel arrangements for boarder students.
• The Principal may require the Laboratory technician to undertake other duties from time to time (subject to the person’s ability to perform such duties) and in keeping with their role.

Communication Skills

The ability to work collaboratively with work colleagues, and to communicate clearly and enthusiastically with staff, students, and families as well as give demonstrated support to and enactment of a restorative practices approach to conflict resolution is required for all staff.

See Restorative Practices at Â鶹ÊÓƵ›

Working with Children:

As a College we are committed to the health and wellbeing of all our members and, in particular the welfare of all students in our care. As such, staff members are committed to prevention, identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect and adherence to the Child Protection Policy and the Staff Code of Conduct, both of which are available on the College webpage.

Whilst such policies have direct relevance to boarding, coaching, nursing and teaching staff, all prospective candidates are requested to read the following documents prior to submitting an application. Our responsibilities to work respectfully and thoughtfully with all, and particularly the young people in our care, are shared across all staff, evident in our demeanour, as well as our adherence to policy requirements.

•  (PDF)
•  (PDF)

Prospective candidates are requested to read these documents prior to submission of an application.

Workplace Health and Safety

As a member of the College staff are required to follow all workplace, health and safety requirements that include but are not limited to:

• Adherence to and working knowledge of policy requirements;
• Cooperation with audit, professional learning and training/drill processes;
• Meticulous attention to reporting responsibilities and record-keeping obligations in relation to all workplace, health and safety matters.

The Package

The appointment is currently under the conditions of the Â鶹ÊÓƵCollege Enterprise Agreement 2022.

Applications

Applications, which close on Friday 10 February 2025, should include a cover letter and include a full resumé (no longer than three A4 pages, font: Calibri, size 12) with the following details:

• Personal details including name, address, contact details, religious affiliation QCT 

registration number, relevant qualifications;

• Employment history; and
• Names and contact details of 3 referees. 

*The College reserves the right to contact other persons who may have relevant knowledge of your qualifications and experience.

Within the submission, applicants are also required to provide a written response which

outlines your experience in each of the key areas – Ethos, Values and Culture and expertise within the duties and responsibilities outlined, explains the appeal of the position to you personally and discusses your alignment with the College’s values and mission.

Closing date Friday 10 February 2025 (transition days in week beginning 17 February)

Applications to:

Mrs Colette Whell

Administration Manager

Â鶹ÊÓƵCollege

PO Box 688

TOOWOOMBA 4350

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 07 4688 4688

Selection Process

The interview panel will review applications and determine a short list. Non successful candidates will be advised via email once the interview process has been completed and the successful candidate appointed.

*NB. The commencement date would ideally be on 24 February with transition days, prior. Start date and composition of hours of work will be negotiated with the most suitable candidate.

Proudly a College of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland