Lab Technician

Lab Technician 

Summary 

Hudson Carbon, a mission-driven research non-profit based in Hudson, New York, is seeking a new part-time (approx. 20-24 hours/week), 6-month-contract team member for our lab & field crew. Hourly rate from $20-30 per hour depending on experience. The Lab Technician will work with the Research Director, Lab Manager, and other Technicians to assist in our soil carbon lab and manage field work.  

This position is a 6-month, part-time position not eligible for benefits. The position may be extended, dependent on funding and mutual interest. During the 6-month period, the majority of the technician’s time will be spent conducting lab work: processing soil samples for elemental analysis, performing data entry, and maintaining resulting datasets. 

Job Description 

• Efficiently and effectively use soil processing lab equipment: sieves, analytical scales, drying ovens, and other lab equipment.
• When called upon, willingness to learn and independently operate elemental analyzer, but also field-based equipment: greenhouse gas (GHG) flux analyzers, soil coring equipment, and other field-based data collection infrastructure.
• Accurately collect and report data from samples.
• Organize, label, and store samples for further use.
• Maintain accurate field and lab records.
• Assist in inventory upkeep and lab maintenance tasks.
• Assist in field equipment upkeep and maintenance.

Key Qualities/Skills 

• Must be incredibly detail oriented, capable of maintaining focus in a busy environment.
• Must have the ability to organize and methodically perform repetitive tasks.
• Patience and precision are required. Must be willing to take the time to do things correctly.
• Must be able to rigorously follow procedures and maintain the integrity of the research process.
• Troubleshooting skills and collaboration will be needed when issues arise.
• Must be honest and forward about mistakes, to protect the reliability of results.
• Bring an easy-going and friendly attitude to work and be excited to contribute to the team.
• Must be independently motivated, with a strong work ethic.
• Previous lab experience is a plus.
• Must have a passion for science, particularly at the intersection of agriculture, ecology, and change.

About Hudson Carbon 

Hudson Carbon is an on-farm research institute and soil lab based at Churchtown Dairy, in Hudson, New York. Our work is focused on developing and implementing research projects that are aimed at better understanding the dynamics of soil & biomass carbon, and greenhouse gas cycling in regenerative, organic agricultural systems & regenerative forest management. Beyond contributing to the literature, our goal is to operationalize our research to catalyze the adoption of regenerative organic agriculture and forestry as a solution to climate change, ecological degradation, and food sovereignty. We achieve this by contributing to state and federal policy development and collaborating on food system development projects more broadly. To that end, we work with world-class research institutions like Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory, The Woodwell Climate Research Center, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, as well as other local and regional stakeholders, including farmers, land conservancies, cooperative extensions, and state & federal legislators. Hudson Carbon was founded and built by organic farmers, bringing a unique perspective to the space, grounded in practical domain knowledge, systems-thinking, and a passion for ecologically minded agricultural production.