Staff Research Associate 2 (Limited Pool)

About the role

The University of California, Merced is seeking Staff Research Associates (SRAs) to perform or supervise laboratory and/or field experimental procedures in support of academically-supervised research and teaching in the natural, physical or social sciences.

Responsibilities

• Perform or supervise the performance of laboratory and/or field experimental procedures in support of academically-supervised research and teaching in the natural, physical or social sciences.
• Modify, vary or adapt standard procedures to meet the needs of research projects, or improve tests that are unsatisfactory, and after studying available literature, analyze and alter conditions under which determinations are made.
• Assignments at this level of difficulty are typically non-supervisory; however, an SRA 2 NEX may also be assigned the management responsibility for a small laboratory unit, with at least one Staff Research Associate I or a group of lower-level laboratory employees such as Laboratory Assistants, Animal Technicians, etc.
• May include tasks such as:
• Chemical analyst: performing a wide variety of chemical analyses, including qualitative and quantitative analyses of unknowns, by using standard methods and by developing modifications of standard methods to meet special needs.
• Insect and parasite rearing: in charge of rearing of various species of insects and parasites, including responsibility for determining the kind of food host to use, the age and culture of food host best suited, the timing of breeding and rearing operations, and kinds of parasites to rear on insects to best accomplish the experimental purposes involved.
• Plant pathologist: identifying mycological organisms on plant material by microscopic examination and by keying down, using judgment when descriptions in literature are incomplete or inaccurate.
• Microbiologist: isolating and purifying cultures of fungus and bacterial organisms from plant or animal materials, varying the method on each specimen to identify the organism and obtain a pure culture.
• Histologist: performing a wide variety of standardized, but intricate and delicate procedures for preparing and examining plant materials for optical and/or electron microscopy.
• Experimental psychologist: assisting in psychophysiological experiments on man and animals, preparing subjects for experiments, performing psychophysical tests, improving tests as necessary and analyzing and developing statistical data.
• Electron microscopist: preparing tissue for electron microscopy, maintaining electron microscopes and photographic darkroom and prep room facilities, providing individual and classroom instruction on the use of the electron microscope and related facilities.

Requirements

• Background check will be required.
• Policy Statement: How To Apply
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Vaccination Program Policy
• Smoke and Tobacco Free Policy

Qualifications

• Incumbents are expected to possess the skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the positions.

Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University of California visit: http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/

Pay

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is Step 1: $32.79/hr.