Research Technician III

About the role

The laboratory's research focuses on understanding the mechanisms and treatments of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/emphysema, asthma, and pulmonary fibrosis. This position is ideal for a motivated and independent research personnel who is keen to learn new techniques/research and involve in scientific publications. The candidate will be responsible for maintaining the colonies of transgenic and knockout mouse, breeding of mice, record-keeping, animal protocols submissions/modifications, working closely with Vivarium and DLAM staff, cigarette smoke inhalation exposure to mice, carrying out the laboratory experiments in vitro cell culture and in vivo (cigarette smoke, e-cigarette and waterpipe/hookah exposure to mice and procedures) and assisting several technicians and fellows in the laboratory, in addition to managing all aspects of animal protocols and laboratory work from data generation to data analysis. Weekend work will be required at times, based upon experimental schedules. Interest in and willingness to learn new techniques are essential job components.

Responsibilities

• Engage in experimental design and independent execution of above methods/protocols/assays
• Oversee general laboratory functions such as inventory and ordering of supplies
• Train new laboratory personnel in fundamental lab techniques
• Work with students and fellows/coordinators on basic and clinical research projects in collecting biological samples and perform experiments and assays (cell biology, biochemical and molecular biology techniques) in cells and biological tissues
• Plan and conduct standardized technical procedures and lab experiments
• Keep track of Institutional Biosafety Committee approvals, EH&S, IRB/RSRB and DLAM training and annual updates for laboratory personnel and compliance
• Co-ordinate clinical studies with clinical research center and the lab, assist in subjects recruitment and collection of biological samples
• Maintain colonies of transgenic and knockout mice: breeding of mice, record-keeping, animal protocols submissions/modifications, working closely with Vivarium and DLAM staffs, cigarette smoke inhalation exposure to mice and carrying out the laboratory experiments in vitro and in vivo (cigarette smoke exposure to mice) exposing cigarette smoke to mice, preparing cigarette smoke extracts
• Animal care: animal cigarette smoke exposures and inhalation (oral, s.c., i.m., i.v., or i.p.), lung and heart removal, dissection and tissue preparation
• Maintain UCAR paperwork/protocols, ordering new rodents, check animals daily, oversight of DLAM for their maintenance of one animal room
• Keep track of various training and annual updates for all laboratory personnel so that the labs are in compliance with these offices; ensure all other laboratory personnel are up-to-date on required laboratory and animal usage training
• Coordinate clinical studies with clinical research center and the lab, assist in subjects recruitment and collection of biological samples; pick up samples from Clinical Research Labs and process for analyses
• Order equipment and laboratory supplies, set up experiments, clean and perform routine maintenance on equipment; file order forms, keep schedule for equipment maintenance, maintain computer records for lab and equipment, maintain chemical inventory, autoclave items, interact with sales representatives, clean and store glassware, oversee and keep records for hazardous waste disposal
• Set up and operate equipment or instrumentation
• Oversee and maintain laboratory; maintain laboratory supplies and inventories (chemicals, animals and equipment); serve in a managerial role to maintain laboratory inventory and address needs for instrument repair
• Plan and oversee non-survival specimen collections from rodents; independently utilize UCAR-approved and scientifically appropriate euthanasia methods followed by tissue collection
• Supervise and train other members of the laboratory, including junior technical staff, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, undergraduates and work-study personnel; monitor performance of trainees and subordinates, and address performance issues as they arise
• Interact with nurses on clinical research projects in collecting biological fluids, obtaining spirometry measurements, and maintaining all paperwork per IRB standards; recruit and schedule human study participants; measure biomarkers and assume responsibility for the treatment of samples/cells for experiments
• Collaborate with other personnel within the laboratory and investigators from other laboratories
• Design protocols and oversee processing and analysis of collected specimens for immunohistological, biochemical, and molecular techniques including microscopy analysis, immunohistochemistry, histological analysis, Western blotting, ELISA, and other techniques; train other laboratory members on these techniques
• Participate in lab meetings and seminars
• Assist the Principal Investigator with preparing figures, data sets and written text for grants and publications
• Serve as liaison of laboratory to Departmental and University administration
• Analyze and interpret acquired data, including appropriate statistical analyses; prepare data summary reports, including tables and figures and make recommendations for future studies; include federal and non-federal funding agencies, protocols, assays, and bioinformatics
• Assist Principal Investigator with writing grants and manuscripts for publication, including reading and interpreting primary scientific literature and preparing written summaries of this material
• Strictly adhere to written SOPs; maintain detailed, daily record keeping
• Plan and coordinate experimental timelines including scheduling other technical staff, students and post-docs to complete experimental tasks
• Develop and optimize new laboratory techniques including writing laboratory SOPs and training other laboratory personnel on such SOPs
• Perform scientific literature searches and utilize such literature to develop SOPs and advise the principal investigator on appropriate technical approaches
• Oversee the operation of gel doc, RT-PCR, flow cytometer, nanodrop, spectrophotometric plate reader, light and fluorescent microscope, and Western blotting equipment; address needs for instrument repair and maintenance
• Keep track of Institutional Biosafety Committee approvals, Radiation Safety, Control substance logs, EH&S, and DCM training and annual updates for all laboratory personnel so that the lab is in compliance with these offices; ensure all other laboratory personnel are up-to-date on required annual laboratory and animal usage training
• Other projects and job duties as assigned and as needs arise

Lab techniques performed

• Western blotting
• Immunostaining
• Lung function measurements experiments
• ELISA
• Northern blotting
• Ribonuclease protection assays
• Tissue section staining
• Diff-Quick staining
• Immunohistochemistry
• In situ hybridization
• RNA isolation and DNA isolation
• ChIP assay
• EMSA (gel shift assay)
• RT-PCR
• Restriction enzyme digests
• Plasmid purification and extraction
• Analyzing results and record keeping

Qualifications

Minimum education & experience: High School diploma or GED and 5 years experience with performing basic sampling, monitoring or research activities; compiling and collecting data and preparing reports required. Associate's degree in Health Science, Biology, Chemistry or other science related field of study preferred. Or equivalent combination of education and experience. Experience in animal (mouse) work and cell culture work with handling multi-tasks. Experience in routine biochemical and molecular biological techniques, and practical laboratory and animal experience are desirable.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of OSHA safety requirements and scientific methods required
• Experiential knowledge of the workings of an academic research laboratory, including general knowledge of biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular biology methods
• Microscopy skills are beneficial
• Prior experience in handling research animals, tissue culture, molecular and cell biology methodology and/or knowledge of immunologically-based techniques are desired
• Ability to work independently and the capacity to design, organize, and analyze experimental data that serves as an invaluable tool in the publication of papers in scientific journals and obtaining future funding preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including written communication preferred
• Must be willing to work with human biological samples, handling animals (mice) and animal tissues preferred
• Good organizational skills, ability to use good judgment, and demonstrate attention to detail are necessary preferred
• Prior experience working with human biological samples preferred

Pay

$21.78 - $30.53 per hour. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range, and will be determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, market data, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, and internal equity considerations.

Schedule

Full time, 40 hours per week, day shift (UR - Day). Weekend work will be required at times, based upon experimental schedules.