Prominent factors on job satisfaction of academic laboratory technical assistants at Mizan Tepi University, Southwest Ethiopia

JS among ALTAs at MTU is influenced by multiple interrelated factors, including compensation, WE, professional development, recognition, and WLB. Improving these domains through supportive leadership, equitable remuneration, structured professional growth, recognition programs, and flexible work arrangements could enhance both satisfaction and JP. These findings provide novel insight into an under-researched occupational group in Ethiopian higher education and have implications for policy and management in similar low-resource university contexts. Future research should examine the longitudinal impact of these factors on retention and institutional effectiveness.