Clinical Research Technician, Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases

Description

The Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Infectious Diseases in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Clinical Research Technician. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 1 year (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

This position reports to the Principal Investigator.

The Clinical Research Technician will report directly to the Principal Investigator, and will support the operation of clinical research studies related to their research program on the vaginal microbiome.

The supervising Principal Investigator's team uses state-of-the‑art 'omics applications and sophisticated cell culture models study how microbiome bacteria impact women's health and pregnancy. The Clinical Research Technician will support collaborative clinical research studies examining the role of the microbiome in pregnancy, vaginal infections, and post‑menopausal health. They will coordinate operational aspects of the research, such as development of study procedures, enrollment of participants, and collection of biological samples and questionnaire data.

They will be responsible for receiving and processing human samples, as well as performing related research experiments.

• Processes human biological samples for culture and biobanking
• Conducts biochemical/immunological assays (such as ELISA, enzymatic assays, etc.)
• Cultures biosafety level 2 (BSL2) bacteria in aerobic and anaerobic conditions
• Isolates bacteria from human biological samples
• Extracts DNA, RNA, and/or proteins from human or bacterial samples
• Performs omics studies and other molecular experiments
• Works with the Principal Investigator, Laboratory Manager, and University officials to properly store chemicals and hazardous materials, dispose of chemical and biohazardous wastes, and adhere to laboratory safety standards
• Under the guidance of the Principal Investigator, develops and implements original experiments to support the lab's research projects

• With the Principal Investigator, prepares and maintains research ethics board submissions and study‑specific standard operating procedures
• Engages study participants in the informed consent process according to recognized ethical and scientific quality standards, as well as study‑specific standard operating procedures
• Oversees study participants' self‑collection of biological samples at partner clinics and the transport of human samples to the laboratory
• Ensures the laboratory biobank and databases containing clinical metadata are accurate, organized, and updated in a timely manner
• Organizes laboratory/clinical research materials and maintains stocks of necessary supplies

• Conducts literature reviews, analyzes and interprets data, and generates figures/text for scholarly publications and grant applications
• Participates in and presents at small group meetings
• Assists with the generation and maintenance of study‑related websites and progress reports
• Establishes and maintains effective, productive relationships with staff, peers, and senior managers/leaders in Calgary's health research community
• Manages own time effectively and keeps the Principal Investigator informed of activities and progress of work
• Liaises professionally with collaborators - including faculty, clinical staff, trainees, and other laboratory technicians

• Bachelor's Degree in health sciences, microbiology, or related discipline is required; MSc is strongly preferred
• A minimum of 2 years' research experience in a clinical or laboratory setting is required
• Previous experience working with human biological samples (e.g. blood, tissues, etc.) is required
• Previous experience as a lab or research technician is preferred
• Previous experience in microbiological techniques (bacterial isolation and culture) is desirable
• Proficiency with MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) is required
• Demonstrated analytical skills and competence with statistical software is required (STATA or R is preferred)
• Excellent organizational…