Distribution Operations Assistant Jobs in California

The Laboratory & Facilities Operations Assistant supports the daily operation, readiness, safety, organization, and functionality of Stanbridge University's instructional laboratories, classrooms, and learning spaces. This is a hands-on operations position combining laboratory and classroom setup, inventory and equipment management, facilities and logistics support, minor maintenance, and campus project assistance.

The position is responsible for ensuring assigned instructional spaces are clean, organized, stocked, functional, secure, and ready for students and faculty. Responsibilities include moving and arranging furniture and equipment, preparing instructional spaces, receiving and organizing supplies, conducting inventory counts, identifying maintenance or equipment issues, supporting campus events and projects, and resetting laboratories and classrooms following use.

The Laboratory & Facilities Operations Assistant supports a variety of instructional environments, which may include healthcare skills, therapy, simulation, virtual reality, cadaver, and science laboratories. Prior scientific or laboratory subject-matter expertise is not required. Successful candidates may come from laboratory operations, facilities, logistics, inventory, warehouse, maintenance, healthcare support, higher education operations, or similar hands-on environments.

This position requires someone who is comfortable performing physical work while also demonstrating initiative, organization, sound judgment, accountability, and problem-solving ability. The successful candidate will be expected to independently identify routine operational needs, take ownership of assigned responsibilities, and follow issues and projects through to completion.

As University operations continue to grow, this position may have the opportunity to assume expanded operational, project, or leadership responsibilities.

Proposed Work Schedule

Tuesday through Friday: 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Saturday: 6:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

The work schedule may be adjusted based on instructional, laboratory, campus, or event needs.

Essential Functions

Laboratory, Classroom, and Instructional Readiness

• Prepare and stage laboratories, classrooms, simulation spaces, and other instructional areas for classes, demonstrations, events, and special activities.
• Ensure assigned classrooms and laboratories are open, clean, sanitized, organized, adequately stocked, and ready for students and faculty.
• Organize and distribute instructional materials, supplies, equipment, models, and learning resources according to faculty or departmental requirements.
• Prepare patient-care and healthcare instructional areas, including making beds, arranging equipment, and staging supplies as needed.
• Assist faculty and staff with physical setup of classrooms and laboratories, including equipment and basic technology setup.
• Clean and disinfect laboratory surfaces, equipment, instructional materials, and work areas in accordance with established procedures.
• Break down, clean, organize, and reset instructional spaces following classes, laboratory sessions, simulations, and events.
• Maintain the functionality, organization, accessibility, and professional presentation of assigned instructional spaces.

Daily Inspections and Operational Support

• Conduct routine inspections of laboratories, classrooms, storage areas, and other assigned campus spaces.
• Confirm that spaces are clean, organized, functional, appropriately stocked, and prepared for scheduled activities.
• Identify missing, damaged, malfunctioning, or improperly stored equipment, furniture, supplies, or instructional materials.
• Identify and communicate concerns involving lighting, HVAC, plumbing, furniture, technology, equipment, cleanliness, or safety.
• Resolve routine operational issues independently when they fall within the position's authority and training.
• Coordinate with appropriate University departments or building maintenance personnel when additional support is required.
• Respond promptly to laboratory, classroom, facilities, logistics, and maintenance requests.
• Communicate discrepancies, unresolved issues, and operational needs to appropriate departments or supervisors.

Inventory, Equipment, and Supply Management

• Monitor inventory levels for laboratory materials, instructional supplies, tools, equipment, parts, and consumable items.
• Conduct cycle counts, physical inventory checks, and stock reconciliations.
• Reconcile inventory discrepancies and investigate missing, damaged, or incorrectly recorded materials.
• Maintain accurate records of materials and equipment received, distributed, transferred, damaged, or removed from service.
• Receive, inspect, organize, label, store, and distribute incoming supplies, equipment, and materials.
• Track backordered, missing, damaged, or incorrectly delivered items and communicate discrepancies promptly.
• Maintain clean, orderly, accessible, and appropriately organized storage areas.
• Assist with ordering and replenishment of supplies and equipment in accordance with departmental processes and supervisor approval.
• Create and maintain spreadsheets and reports related to laboratory utilization, inventory, replenishment needs, equipment, maintenance, and operational activity.
• Generate inventory and operational reports, including information related to cycle counts and inventory accuracy, as assigned.

Facilities, Logistics, and Campus Support

• Move, transport, and arrange furniture, equipment, supplies, boxes, instructional materials, and other campus property.
• Assist with classroom, office, laboratory, meeting, and event-space setups and breakdowns.
• Support internal deliveries, equipment installations, relocations, furniture moves, and campus projects.
• Perform routine maintenance and minor repairs within the scope of the position's training and authorization.
• Safely operate common hand tools, power tools, carts, dollies, ladders, and general maintenance or material-handling equipment.
• Assist with receiving, transporting, assembling, installing, and positioning furniture and equipment.
• Coordinate with outside vendors, contractors, building management, or maintenance personnel under supervisor guidance.
• Support campus events and special projects requiring facilities, equipment, furniture, logistics, or setup assistance.
• Respond to urgent operational needs and assist with emergency situations in accordance with University procedures.

Simulation and Specialized Laboratory Support

• Provide operational support for healthcare skills, therapy, simulation, virtual reality, cadaver, science, and other instructional laboratory environments.
• Provide backup support to Simulation Laboratory Assistants during simulation setups, activities, and teardowns.
• Assist with staging simulation rooms, equipment, supplies, task trainers, and patient-care environments.
• Move, clean, organize, and appropriately store simulation and instructional equipment.
• Follow established procedures when working in specialized instructional environments.
• Protect the confidentiality and integrity of simulation activities and instructional materials.
• Restore specialized laboratory and simulation spaces to instructional readiness following scheduled activities.

Operational Ownership and Problem-Solving

• Take ownership of assigned laboratory, classroom, inventory, facilities, and logistics responsibilities.
• Anticipate operational needs based on instructional schedules, events, inventory levels, and campus priorities.
• Independently organize and prioritize routine responsibilities while responding appropriately to changing needs and urgent requests.
• Identify operational problems and take appropriate action rather than waiting for issues to escalate.
• Recognize inefficiencies and recommend practical improvements to laboratory, inventory, facilities, and operational processes.
• Manage assigned projects and responsibilities from initiation through completion.
• Follow up on open items and ensure issues are appropriately resolved, documented, or escalated.
• Communicate professionally with faculty, staff, students, vendors, contractors, and other University partners.
• Demonstrate reliability, accountability, initiative, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrate the judgment and initiative necessary to assume expanded responsibilities as the department grows.

End-of-Day Responsibilities

• Conduct end-of-day checks of assigned laboratories, classrooms, storage areas, and instructional spaces.
• Secure laboratories, equipment, supplies, tools, storage areas, and instructional spaces.
• Confirm equipment is powered down, properly stored, secured, or otherwise prepared for the next scheduled activity.
• Reset laboratories and classrooms for the following day's instructional schedule.
• Replenish commonly used materials and communicate low-stock or urgent ordering needs.
• Document unresolved maintenance, inventory, equipment, or operational issues and provide appropriate handoff information.
• Ensure assigned areas are left clean, safe, organized, secure, and ready for use.

Safety and Compliance

• Follow all University laboratory, facilities, maintenance, infection-control, equipment, and workplace safety procedures.
• Ensure tools, equipment, materials, supplies, and chemicals are handled and stored safely and appropriately.
• Use required personal protective equipment when performing applicable duties.
• Identify and promptly report unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, spills, hazards, or other safety concerns.
• Maintain laboratories, classrooms, storage areas, and instructional spaces in accordance with applicable University policies and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in required training related to laboratory operations, workplace safety, equipment use, emergency response, and compliance.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum of one year of experience in facilities, logistics, inventory, warehouse operations, maintenance, laboratory operations, healthcare support, higher education operations, or a related hands-on environment.
• Ability and willingness to perform both physical and administrative/organizational responsibilities throughout the workday.
• Ability to safely operate common hand tools, power tools, carts, dollies, ladders, material-handling equipment, and general maintenance equipment.
• Demonstrated ability to organize supplies, equipment, inventory, workspaces, and competing assignments.
• Strong customer-service, communication, problem-solving, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, recognize operational needs, and take ownership of assigned responsibilities.
• Strong attention to detail with a commitment to accuracy, cleanliness, organization, safety, and service quality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and general computer applications.
• Ability to create and maintain basic spreadsheets, inventory records, and operational reports.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and respond appropriately to urgent operational needs.
• Ability to work the required schedule, including Saturdays.
• Valid state driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications

• Associate degree in business, logistics, operations, healthcare, science, a technical or trade field, or a related discipline.
• Experience in facilities operations, logistics, inventory control, warehouse operations, maintenance, or campus operations.
• Experience supporting instructional laboratories, healthcare skills laboratories, simulation centers, classrooms, or higher education environments.
• Experience with inventory control, cycle counts, purchasing, ordering, receiving, stock reconciliation, or equipment tracking.
• Experience coordinating classroom, laboratory, facilities, office, or event setups.
• Experience performing basic troubleshooting, maintenance, furniture assembly, equipment installation, or minor repairs.
• Experience identifying process improvements, managing special projects, or assuming informal team-lead responsibilities.
• Familiarity with healthcare skills, simulation, virtual reality, cadaver, therapy, or science laboratory environments is helpful but not required.

Compensation

$21.00-$23.00 per hour.

Compensation is based on education, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

Work Environment

• Work is performed in instructional laboratories, simulation environments, classrooms, offices, storage areas, event spaces, and other campus facilities.
• Regular movement between laboratories, classrooms, storage areas, and other campus locations is required throughout the workday.
• Duties involve a combination of physical activity, inventory and equipment management, computer work, troubleshooting, cleaning, setup, and interaction with faculty and staff.
• May work in healthcare skills, therapy, virtual reality, cadaver, science, simulation, or bedside laboratory environments.
• Duties may involve exposure to cleaning products, disinfectants, laboratory materials, mechanical equipment, noise, frequent interruptions, and changing operational priorities.
• Regular interaction with students, faculty, staff, visitors, vendors, and contractors is expected.

Physical Demands

• Regularly stand and walk for extended periods.
• Frequently bend, reach, kneel, crouch, push, pull, carry, climb, and move equipment or materials.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, pull, and/or move objects weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to safely move furniture, laboratory equipment, instructional supplies, boxes, carts, and other materials.
• Ability to safely operate ladders, hand tools, power tools, carts, dollies, and general maintenance equipment.
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