Instructional Support Technician II, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Job Description:

Instructional Support Technician II, Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Description

Job Summary

Reporting to the NRES department head, this position provides technical support services for NRES laboratory and field courses. This includes operational responsibility for an analytical lab and associated equipment. This position also coordinates safety for all NRES wet-lab teaching and research activities and oversees operations, compliance, and budgeting for NRES’s analytical service center. This position also works with faculty to assist in development of new and enhanced lab activities and works with faculty to design and implement new student research projects.

Department Summary

The Natural Resource Management and Environmental Sciences (NRES) Department offers B.S. degrees in Environmental Earth and Soil Sciences, Environmental Management and Protection, and Forestry and Fire Sciences, and an M.S. in Environmental Science and Management. The programs enroll approximately 850 undergraduate students and 30 graduate students and are supported by 22 tenure-line faculty. The department has access to a variety of on campus and off campus field and lab resources to support hands on instruction and research, including multiple ranches and agricultural fields on campus as well as Cal Poly’s 3,000-acre Swanton Pacific Ranch in Santa Cruz County. The department also supports strong interdisciplinary collaboration across campus including faculty participation in Cal Poly’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) fire institute and the new Center for Organic Production and Research, among other programs.

Key Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and, manage, and coordinate instructional support activities for a broad and diverse range of wet-lab and field lab courses.
• Ability to schedule work of others, including student assistants, establish work priorities and ensure instructional support tasks are delivered on time with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in and outside the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to train and supervise student assistants.
• Knowledge of best practices and industry standards for maintaining an analytical lab, including scheduling and assessment of equipment maintenance and service needs, development, and implementation of standard operating protocols for analytical equipment.
• Knowledge of common Risk Management and Safety systems and development of associated procedures for analytical and field labs.
• Knowledge of budgetary principles and practices for self-support services.
• Knowledge of techniques and principles used in soil science, natural resource and environmental science in teaching and research; ability to recognized implied faculty and student needs; anticipate requirements for laboratory setups.
• Experience with scientific and technical equipment such as, colorimeter, autoclave, electrical conductivity meters, digital balances, digital pH, Dumas combustion, Infrared Gas Analyzers, Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometry analyzer meters, and other general and specialized laboratory and field equipment, including diagnosis and repair.

Education and Experience

• Equivalent to three years of experience providing instructional support services for a related unit or discipline, or in producing materials or supplies or repairing equipment in a discipline related to the area to which assigned;
• OR equivalent to two years of college with 16 semester units in courses involving extensive use of materials, supplies, or equipment and in a discipline related to the area may be substituted for one year of the required experience;
• OR equivalent to four years of college with 16 semester units in courses involving extensive use of materials, supplies, or equipment and in a discipline related to the area to which assigned may be substituted for two years of the required experience.

Salary and Benefits

Anticipated Hiring Range: $5,601 - $6,694 per month

Classification Range: $4,595 - $6,694 per month

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Anticipated Hiring Range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Classification Range may be broader than what the University anticipates paying for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information.

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu .

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Cal Poly is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At Cal Poly, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. Cal Poly will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions. Applicants for staff and management positions must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Positions are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days.

Advertised: Mar 11 2026 Pacific Daylight Time
Applications close: