Research Assistant 4

Case Western Reserve University is committed to providing a transparent estimate of the salary range for this position. The salary range is between $52,705 and $66,672, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare
• Retirement plans
• Tuition assistance
• Paid time off
• Winter recess

About the Role

Working with a high degree of independence and under general direction, the Research Assistant 4 will coordinate major research activities in support of laboratory studies focused on multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. This position leads and executes research projects aimed at augmenting immune responses against cancer cells by designing and performing laboratory experiments, conducting complex data analysis, and contributing to scientific interpretation and dissemination of findings. The role functions as a key technical and organizational resource for the laboratory, working closely with the principal investigator and lab staff to develop study procedures, maintain and improve laboratory operations, and advance ongoing research objectives through high-quality, timely experimental work. This position will work with animals.

Responsibilities

• Provide scientific input to principal investigator and project leadership regarding significant developments in research projects, including interpretation of complex experimental data, identification of technical or biological issues, and proposal of next-step experiments for myeloma and immunotherapy studies.
• Contribute to study design (e.g., dosing schemes, time-course experiments, panel design for flow cytometry) and assist in prioritizing experiments to meet project milestones. (20%)
• Coordinate major laboratory and research activities, including planning and scheduling of in vitro and in vivo experiments, organizing shared use of tissue culture and flow cytometry equipment, and ensuring that required reagents, animals, and instruments are available for ongoing projects.
• Maintain and improve standard operating procedures for cell culture, viral transduction, drug treatment, and sample processing to support reproducible, high-quality data generation. (20%)
• Supervise and mentor research staff and trainees. Provide functional oversight for students and trainees working on related projects. Assign and review experimental tasks, monitor adherence to protocols and safety guidelines, provide ongoing performance feedback, and support professional development through coaching in experimental design, troubleshooting, and data presentation. (20%)
• Co-author research projects by contributing to experimental design, data generation, and interpretation, and by drafting or revising sections of manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and presentations.
• Assist the principal investigator with preparation of figures, methods, and preliminary data for grant applications focused on multiple myeloma and immune-oncology, and present data at internal meetings and, when appropriate, external conferences. (15%)
• Perform the most complex quantitative and analytical procedures, including multi-parameter flow cytometry analysis, densitometric and quantitative western blot analysis, and integration of cell viability, phenotypic, and functional readouts across experiments.
• Utilize software such as GraphPad Prism and R to perform statistical analyses, generate publication-quality plots, and support robust data interpretation. (15%)
• Teach and instruct others in research techniques relevant to multiple myeloma and immunology, including aseptic cell culture, lentiviral transduction, in vivo dosing and monitoring, flow cytometry staining and acquisition, and protein extraction and western blotting.
• Develop training materials and demonstrate best practices in experimental setup, record-keeping, and data analysis to ensure consistency across the lab. (10%)
• Develop and refine laboratory procedures, incorporating new methods and technologies as appropriate (e.g., updated antibody panels, improved sample preparation workflows, or AI-assisted analysis tools).
• Coordinate information with other departments, cores, and collaborators as needed to support shared projects, including sample transfer, instrument scheduling, and data sharing. (5%)
• Perform other duties as assigned, including routine laboratory maintenance, updating laboratory records and databases, assisting with regulatory documentation, and occasional support for outreach or educational activities related to the lab's research mission. (5%)

Contacts

• Department: Regular to frequent contact with the principal investigator, lab staff, and clinical collaborators to discuss research plans, review data, and maintain workflow.
• University: Occasional contact with other departments, core facilities (e.g., flow cytometry, animal resource center), and administrative units to share information, coordinate resource use, and support collaborative projects.
• External: Occasional contact with vendors and external service providers to obtain technical information, troubleshoot equipment or reagents, and evaluate new products.
• Students: Regular contact with student employees and trainees to exchange information, provide instruction, and oversee their work on assigned projects.

Supervisory Responsibility

May supervise research assistants, technicians, and students.

Requirements

• Experience: 5 to 8 years of related experience required.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in science.

Skills

• Extensive knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices, and procedures within cancer biology and immunology, including tissue culture, in vitro drug treatment, and advanced flow cytometry and western blotting.
• Able to work under general direction, using pre-established guidelines while exercising judgment in troubleshooting experiments, optimizing protocols, and prioritizing tasks.
• Ability to operate, maintain, and perform basic troubleshooting on laboratory equipment (e.g., tissue culture hoods, flow cytometers, centrifuges, imaging systems).
• Ability to demonstrate successful support, education, and advocacy for all students, aligned with the values, mission, and messaging of the university, while adhering to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance and maintain reliability for complex, time-sensitive experiments.
• Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face-to-face in a professional manner, including clear communication of technical information.
• Must demonstrate compliance with Case Western Reserve University animal research and care policies and procedures and compliance to regulations of the Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service Policy, Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) guidelines, and other applicable regulatory guidelines.
• Must demonstrate compassion for animals within Case Western Reserve University facilities and dedication to the Animal Resource Center's mission. Must handle animals with care and respect at all times.
• Previous experience working with animals preferred.
• Must be able and willing to maintain a high standard of personal cleanliness and utilize protective gear to protect the health of the animals.

Working Conditions

• General laboratory environment located in the Wolstein Research Building, with work primarily indoors at laboratory benches and tissue culture hoods.
• May have exposure to biohazards (e.g., lentiviruses, bacteria, human blood and bone marrow specimens) and chemical hazards (e.g., chemotherapy agents, fixatives, and antibiotics); appropriate personal protective equipment is required and provided.
• Position may require occasional overtime or flexible hours to accommodate experiments involving multiple time points or animal procedures, as well as occasional brief travel for training or conferences.

Case Western Reserve University's animal facilities are accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) and are managed according to the "Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals," appropriate Federal Animal Welfare Regulations, and the Public Health Service Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. This position, and all animal research personnel, are subject to internal compliance with the medical school Animal Resource Center Standard Operating Procedures and to compliance regulations of the Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service Policy, AAALAC guidelines, the State of Ohio Veterinary Practice Act, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration regulatory guidelines, US Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine regulations, and other applicable regulatory guidelines.