Research Technician I

About the role

The Translational Metabolic Phenotyping and Nutrition Core within the University of Louisville School of Medicine Nutrition and Metabolic Health Center is seeking a Research Technician I to support pre-clinical and human translational studies focused on exercise, metabolism, nutrition, and cardiometabolic health.

Responsibilities

• Conduct mouse-based research procedures, including animal handling, monitoring, metabolic phenotyping, exercise testing, and collection or processing of biological samples, as trained and in accordance with approved protocols.
• Set up, operate, calibrate, clean, and perform routine maintenance and first-line troubleshooting of advanced Core instrumentation, including Sable Promethion metabolic phenotyping systems, forced and voluntary exercise platforms, Seahorse extracellular flux analyzers, body-composition instrumentation, and related physiological monitoring systems, following established procedures and manufacturer guidance.
• Aid in setting up and implementing human metabolic phenotyping studies using whole-room calorimeters and complementary physiological measurements, including support for participant-facing experimental workflows as appropriate to the approved protocol.
• Contribute to protocol refinement and documentation as directed.
• Perform experimental procedures using established or Core-approved protocols with attention to accuracy, reproducibility, documentation, and quality control; assist with implementation of protocol updates as new Core capabilities are introduced.
• Collect, organize, quality-check, and process multiparametric data generated from exercise and metabolic phenotyping studies using established analysis workflows.
• Compile measurements across physiological, metabolic, behavioral, and instrument-derived datasets for review by the Core Director and collaborating investigators.
• Use instrument-specific software and established quantitative analysis tools to process data, prepare standardized summary outputs and visualizations, flag unusual or technically inconsistent results, and support review of findings by the Core Director and collaborating investigators.
• Assist with onboarding and hands-on training of students, junior investigators, and Core users in approved animal procedures, human-study workflows, instrument operation, data collection, data quality-control procedures, and established standard operating procedures.
• Communicate study status, experimental progress, equipment issues, troubleshooting needs, and resource requirements to the Core Director; participate in Core meetings and support ongoing improvements to experimental procedures and instrumentation workflows.
• Maintain laboratory readiness through preparation of materials, inventory and supply management, equipment logs, cleaning, and compliance with institutional animal care, human subjects research, biosafety, environmental health and safety, and Core requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• May require professional certification.

Skills

• Training or interests in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, physiology, quantitative biology, or related fields.
• Enjoy hands-on experimental research, instrumentation, and data processing.

Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate to candidate experience.