Home 5 Personnel 5 Staff resources 5 Job Description Qualifications

Job Description Qualifications

For consistency and clarity, please use the following summary of standard qualifications for each position, as appropriate, and add additional position specific experience/qualifications required by the position, see below for examples.

Explanation of Standard Qualifications

Experience:

Not all positions require experience. If you require previous experience in your position you will want to consider at what level and in what areas, e.g. Experience can be: demonstrated, related, previous, substantial, extensive, etc. In a similar environment, a specific area, or with specific equipment or techniques.

Examples:

  • Substantial related clerical/administrative skills and experience.
  • Substantial experience in financial operations including accounting, budget, and fiscal control.
  • Experience in use and maintenance of molecular instrumentation, including automated DNA sequences, robotics for DNA preparation, thermal cyclers, and flow cytometers.

Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal, and customer-service skills:

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to act as a resource for, provide customer service in a courteous manner to, and work effectively with diverse groups of people at various levels within an organization. Writing skills sufficient to compose and edit a variety of documents using correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation, with the ability to pay close attention to detail and proofread work carefully.

Good organizational, time management, customer service and problem-solving skills and the ability to work accurately and meet deadlines with frequent interruptions:

  • Organizational skills sufficient to prioritize work and complete assignments accurately, either independently or as part of a team, under pressure of competing deadlines and with frequent interruptions, working from own initiative and/or following direction, policies, or procedures. Ability to identify customer needs and maintain and support a customer service philosophy. Ability to use analytical and decision-making skills to offer options and resolve problems in a variety of contexts.
  • Ability to work well independently as well as part of a team.
  • Ability to work effectively as a member of team and establish and maintain cooperative working. relationships with diverse groups of faculty, staff, students and the public.
  • Ability to exercise flexibility, initiative, good judgment and discretion:
  • Ability to exercise good judgment and discretion in handling confidential materials and matters. Flexibility to work effectively in a changing environment. Ability to adapt to changes in work environment, work assignments, and/or changes in priorities. Skills sufficient to maintain productivity in a fast-paced environment undergoing organizational changes.

Additional Qualifications

(samples of qualifications which may be added to “Standard Qualifications”)

ANALYSIS

  • Demonstrated experience in analysis and planning with ability to analyze and anticipate situations, define problems and objectives, recognize alternatives and formulate solutions.
  • Excellent analytical skills to comprehensively analyze and interpret policies, procedures and situations in a multifaceted way and possess strong problem-solving skills to develop innovative solutions to complex issues.

CLERICAL, FORMS PROCESSING, ATTENTION TO DETAIL, and REPETITIVE TASKS

  • Ability to process high volume of data on-line accurately and for extended periods.
  • Ability to pay close attention to detail with a high degree of accuracy.
  • Ability to perform routine, repetitive tasks accurately.
  • Excellent typing, proofreading and editing skills.
  • Ability to maintain records and files for easy access and retrieval.

COMPUTER

  • Good keyboarding skills with experience using word processing, spreadsheet and database applications.
  • Experience working in a computerized office environment with word processing, database and spreadsheet skills sufficient to prepare correspondence, reports, forms, statistical/technical/scientific materials, etc. with speed and accuracy, including the willingness to learn and use new computer programs/applications.

CULTURAL AND ETHNIC DIVERSITY

  • Ability to relate to individuals from diverse ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and to work with them in a fair, supportive and cooperative manner.
  • Possess understanding or willingness to learn issues affecting the retention, advancement and matriculation of underrepresented students.
  • Experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for disadvantages students.

EDUCATION

  • Thorough and current conceptual and practical knowledge of the basic principles in all fields of biology with particular emphasis on microbiology, cellular biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry.
  • Knowledge and or experience equivalent to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in biology.
  • Knowledge and or experience such as attained through upper/lower division coursework.
  • Equivalent combination of education and experience in biology.

EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTATION, MACHINERY

  • Ability to use hand tools, small power tools and test equipment.

FINANCIAL

  • Experience with or knowledge of budget, travel, accounting and purchasing procedures.
  • Math skills sufficient to calculate and monitor payments accurately.
  • Knowledge of basic accounting principles and procedures sufficient to oversee, manage and project budgets.
  • Ability to make judgments regarding alternative means of procuring materials or services based on cost and serviceability.

INTERPERSONAL and COMMUNICATION SKILLS (WRITTEN/VERBAL)

  • Ability to develop and give oral presentations to both large and small groups.
  • Ability to recall, retrieve and communicate detailed or technical information clearly, accurately and concisely and to non-technical audience/customers.

LAB/SCIENTIFIC

  • Familiarity with chemicals and scientific terminology.
  • Familiarity with or general knowledge of science laboratories and facilities.
  • Thorough conceptual and practical knowledge of the fundamental principles of (name fields).
  • Knowledge of general principles of (name fields) with a more specialized knowledge of the principles of (biology/chemistry, etc.).
  • Theoretical and practical knowledge of modern laboratory instrumentation including the ability to use, maintain, troubleshoot, and perform routine repairs of (________) (e.g., microscopes, balances, pH meters, centrifuges, pipettes, spectrophotometers, electrophoresis apparatus, etc.).
  • Laboratory skills including accurate weighing, mixing, pH adjustment, sterilization, dispensing and sterile transfer.
  • Ability to critically read technical literature.
  • Research and analytical skills sufficient to analyze problems in a multi- faceted way and to develop and participate in implementing innovative solutions.
  • Knowledge of safety techniques, terminology and technology related to laboratory protocols and general laboratory procedure.

LEADERSHIP

  • Excellent leadership skills with demonstrated abilities to resolve diverse problems, to understand the importance of structure, organization, resource management and to complete critical tasks in a timely manner.

MANAGEMENT

  • Leadership, planning and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to manage a unit including developing procedures, participate in program planning and analysis or qualitative review to determine appropriate actions.
  • Substantial related managerial and analytical experience (preferably in an academic setting).
  • Political acumen sufficient to establish and maintain effective working relationships with diverse constituents.
  • Ability to manage a unit/department in a changing organization and environment.

MISCELLANEOUS, GENERAL

  • Familiarity with college or university programs.
  • Maintain appearance and conduct suitable for working with the public.
  • Ability to plan activities and programs such as meetings, orientations, retreats.

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS, PRIORITIES, DEADLINES

  • Ability to maintain organized records.
  • Ability to plan activities and programs such as meetings, orientations, retreats.

POLICY INTERPRETATION

  • Ability to ensure compliance to applicable laws, guidelines, policies, procedures and practices.
  • Ability to learn and apply a variety of policies and procedures.
  • Ability to assimilate from oral or written sources, a broad knowledge of campus (and external agencies, if applicable) policies and procedures and apply them with consistency to individual situations.

SUPERVISORY

  • Experience or ability to supervise staff (e.g. hire, train, assign work, motivate and manage performance).
  • Ability to supervise students.

Special Conditions of Employment

  • Selected candidate will be required to pass a criminal history background check.
  • Must possess a valid license to drive in the State of California.
  • Must be able to work for extended periods at a computer work-station.
  • Poison Oak is present. Employee must be willing to take the measures required to work in contact with and cut/remove poison oak.
  • Ability to hike, carry and operate equipment weighing up to 50 pounds with or without accommodation while in steep, rough terrain and remote areas.
  • Must be able to work a variable schedule in wilderness conditions.

Return to top