Research Engineering​/Scientist Associate

Position: Research Engineering/Scientist Associate I
Job Posting

Title:

Research Engineering/Scientist Associate I

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- Hiring Department:

Department of Neuroscience

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- Position Open To:

All Applicants

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- Weekly Scheduled

Hours:

40

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- FLSA Status:

Exempt from FLSA

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- Earliest

Start Date:

Jun 01, 2026

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- Position Duration:

Expected to Continue Until May 31, 2027

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- Location:

AUSTIN, TX

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- Job Details:

General Notes

The Fenno Lab at the University of Texas at Austin develops genetic, viral, and neuromodulation technologies enabling programmable control of neural systems in vivo. Our research integrates systems neuroscience, synthetic biology, and bioengineering to create platforms for selectively accessing and manipulating neural circuits across neurology and psychiatry. The laboratory builds viral genome engineering and stimulation-based approaches that bridge fundamental neuroscience with emerging therapeutic technologies.

Initial assignment will be for one year. Subsequent renewal of employment will be based upon performance review, progress towards research goals, and continuation of funding.

The University of Texas at Austin offers a competitive benefits package for all full-time benefits eligible staff positions. More information here: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./benefits

Purpose

This role supports molecular biology research in a viral engineering lab through bioinformatics-guided cloning, wet-lab techniques (bacterial work and plasmid preparation), tissue culture maintenance and transfection, and viral vector production with quality control. Responsibilities also include in vivo rodent experiments such as viral injections, nuclei preparation, and downstream genomic analyses.

Responsibilities

* Bioinformatics work: the research technician will worth with a team to perform molecular bioinformatics and cloning.

* Wetlab work: the research technician will perform bacterial and plasmid preparation, tissue culture work,and produce viruses in the lab.

* Animals work: the research technician will perform viral injection, nuclei preparation, and genomic analysis in rodents.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience or Cell and Molecular Biology and two years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

* Experience designing and conducting experiments with CRISPR viral reagents

* Rodent stereotactic brain AAV injection proficiency

* Mouse husbandry experience

* Molecular cloning, plasmid preparation, quality control, and management

* Proficiency isolating and sorting nuclei from the mouse brain

* Working in a scientific team

Salary

$45,000

Working Conditions

* May work around chemical fumes.

* May work around standard office conditions.

* May work around biohazards.

* May work around chemicals.

* Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.

Required Materials

* Resume/CV

* 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

* Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:
You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.

Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:
As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled in to your application.

The application is one page and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.

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- Employment Eligibility:

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

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- Retirement Plan Eligibility:

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

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- Background Checks:

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

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- Equal Opportunity

Employer:

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal…