Lab Technician at Florae Collaborative

About Florae Collaborative

Florae is a tissue culture lab and tropical greenhouse in Ithaca, NY. We focus on environmental sustainability and providing well hardened plants and proper taxonomic classifications.

We believe in doing business the right way. Not only for the planet and our customers, but also for our employees. As a majority woman-owned business, we strive to create a workplace that is welcoming and accepting of all people, and recognize that we have room to grow. In partnership with 1% for the Planet, we donate one percent of our gross sales to environmental conservation each year. Our facility uses geothermal heating and cooling, and is powered with renewable solar energy.

Our team is composed of plant fanatics. If you hoard plants in your home and obsess over each plant’s new growth point, then Florae is the place for you!

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please send the following to [email protected]:

  • Your resume
  • Photos of your 3 favorite plants. These can be from your personal collection/garden, or plants you found locally.

Core Responsibilities

  • Produce plants in Florae’s micropropagation lab. 
    • Completing 1,500+ transfers per day using sterile technique.
    • Prepare media by mixing necessary chemicals, growth regulators and gelling agents.
    • Keeping accurate records of transfer and providing daily summaries to the other members of your team.
    • Calibrate and use specialized lab equipment
    • Evaluate plants and use only those meeting set quality criteria and standards.
  • Maintain lab organization and environmental control
    • Ensure that the laboratory is kept in a clean and good operating condition. This includes washing dishes and cleaning floors.
    • Maintain an organized and sterile workstation
    • Monitor and manage all environmental controls (ex. Temperature, lighting) to maintain a desired cultivation climate at various stages of the plant life cycle.

From time to time, you may be asked to:

  • Pot up plants ready to transition to our greenhouse.
  • Assist with Open Houses (occurs twice per year)

What you bring to Florae Collaborative:

  • High school diploma or GED.
  • Curiosity, love for plants, and a desire to give and receive positive constructive feedback.
  • High attention to detail and the ability to recognize and observe small deviations.
  • Team orientation, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to work well with people from different ethnic backgrounds.
  • High hand dexterity. People who have hobbies such as knitting, sewing, crochet, or quilting tend to really enjoy this job.
  • Ability to sit for long periods of time.

Position Information

  • Type: Seasonal, though we will be hiring a permanent position from within the seasonal positions
  • Start Date: ASAP
  • End Date: Late April / Early May
  • Location: Ithaca, NY
  • Compensation:
    • Paid vacation and sick time
    • Health insurance
    • Starting Pay: $16.61/hour
      • We have standardized pay bands that are based on production. Most of our lab technicians readily advance pay bands.
  • Schedule: Monday – Friday. Flexible work hours between 8am-6pm

Note: This position will primarily focus on herbaceous perennials.