Senior Lab Research Technician

Senior Lab Research Technician

The Senior Lab Research Technician provides senior-level technical assistance and perform routine laboratory activities for a translational medicine laboratory studying how body composition changes, including muscle and fat loss, impact cancer prevention and survival. Duties include assisting with the establishment of a new research laboratory, maintenance of a mouse colony (weaning, genotyping, breeding, maintaining records), planning and executing animal and cell culture experiments, processing of murine and human blood and tissue samples, as well as routine laboratory housekeeping activities.

This includes the maintenance of two IACUC protocols and IBC compliance. This position will report directly to the Principal Investigator. Provides oversight and management of scientific research problems designed to understand mechanisms of cancer-associated wasting during early disease for future development of anti-cancer and anti-weight loss therapies. Perform laboratory assays focused on anatomic, functional, and biochemical characterization of muscle, adipose tissue, and tumor, and compile and analyze data from these assays.

Exercise judgment in prioritizing work to meet the objectives and deadlines associated with generating data for grant renewals, grant proposals, and submission or revision of manuscripts. Provide high-level technical expertise in the design, performance, and troubleshooting of complex laboratory experiments. Analyze, interpret, and manage experimental data. Collaborate with the laboratory's Principal Investigator (PI) in developing projects for laboratory personnel and provide functional supervision and training of laboratory personnel.

Maintain compliance with regulatory agencies for the laboratory, including lab personnel safety, chemical safety, biosafety, IACUC, and IBC. Serve as a resource for other laboratory members, including technicians, graduate students, undergraduates, and/or postdocs, in experimental design, evaluating research methodologies, and interpreting data. Work independently with minimal supervision from the PI.

Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience) - Bachelor's degree in a related field and five years related laboratory research experience required. Experience with in vivo animal research, molecular biology, and cell culture techniques. Knowledge of physiology and metabolism. Proficiency with the procedures required for successfully conducting the protocols carried out in lab. Experience with quantitative RT-PCR, Western Blot, ELISAs, and database management.

Knowledge of statistics, as applied to biomedical research. Experience working with mice (including administration of substances, euthanasia, and tissue harvest), managing genetically modified mouse colonies, and genotyping. Proficiency with spreadsheets and database applications. Effective writing and organizational skills.

Desirable Qualifications - Experience with Microsoft Office, Excel, PowerPoint, Graph Pad Prism, UVMClick, and VOS. Experience in cancer, energy balance, or nutrition-related research.

Anticipated Pay Range - $28.00 - $32.00/hour