Junior Specialist - Department of Neurology

About the role

A bright, hardworking individual with strong communication and organizational skills is sought by the Weill Institute for Neurosciences to serve as a Junior Specialist for the Weill NeuroBiorepository.

Responsibilities

• Sample Processing. Preparation of plasma, serum, cells, and high-quality DNA from whole blood to be stored in the biorepository while maintaining the safety, integrity, and traceability of all specimens. Apply and refine standardized protocols to ensure consistency and reproducibility across studies.
• Sample Handling. Quantitating and aliquoting DNA samples for long-term storage. Retrieving samples from the biorepository for aliquoting and distribution to co-investigators, ensuring accurate tracking and compliance with study protocols.
• Data Entry and Management. Perform data entry and review computerized records to ensure accurate documentation associated with the production, labeling, storage, and shipment of samples. Assist in maintaining high-quality datasets to support downstream research and analysis.
• Reagent Preparation. Prepare media and reagents from basic components for use in whole blood processing and related laboratory procedures, ensuring quality and consistency across experiments.
• Research Support and Experimental Contribution. Actively participate in research activities by supporting experimental workflows, assisting with optimization of laboratory protocols, and identifying and troubleshooting technical issues to improve data quality and efficiency.
• Data Analysis and Interpretation. Assist with data organization, preliminary analysis, and quality assessment. Contribute to interpretation of experimental results in collaboration with the research team.
• Scholarly Contributions. Support the preparation of scientific materials, including methods documentation, data summaries, and figure generation for manuscripts and presentations. Assist with literature reviews relevant to ongoing research projects.
• Scientific Communication. Participate in lab meetings and contribute to discussions of experimental design and results. Assist in preparing materials for presentations, abstracts, and reports; opportunities for co-authorship may be available based on level of contribution.

Requirements

• Junior Specialist - A bachelor's degree (or equivalent degree) or at least four years of research experience.
• Candidates must meet the required qualifications at the time of hire.
• Candidate’s CV must state qualifications or if pending upon submission.
• Prior experience with handling human blood specimens.
• Familiarity with basic laboratory techniques.

Benefits

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Pay

A reasonable estimate for this position is $55,000 - $58,600.

Schedule

N/A