Research Assistant

Research Assistant 2 – Case Western Reserve University

Starting wage rate is $19.41 per hour, depending on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Employees receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare, retirement plans, tuition assistance, paid time off, and a winter recess.

Working under general supervision, the Research Assistant 2 will plan and carry out research projects in accordance with general research guidelines. Responsibilities include planning and performing experiments on projects related to cardiac contractile function and molecular biology of cardiac muscle contraction.

• Plan and carry out research projects that characterize the roles of myofilament contractile proteins in the regulation of cardiac muscle contraction. (6%)
• Conduct a series of experiments to supply scientific information as part of a larger project. Plan, carry out, quantify, and analyze data from general molecular biology experiments, including design and implementation of cloning strategies, PCR analysis, mutagenesis, expression levels of cardiac proteins by various gel electrophoresis techniques and western blotting, gel purification, plasmid preparation, bacterial transformation, bacterial culture in order to express highly purified recombinant proteins for biophysical experiments.
  
  (35%)
• Plan, carry out, quantify, collect, and analyze data from mechanical experiments in isolated cardiac and skeletal muscle preparations. (35%)
• May assist in developing improved techniques, projection methods, or procedures related to immunostaining of whole heart sections, isolated muscle fibers, and myofibrils. (10%)
• Prepare and present research results in lab meetings. (9%)

• Maintain equipment, prepare buffer/media/reagents, and dispose biohazardous waste. (2%)
• Maintain lab records; oversee inventory and standard operating procedures. (2%)
• Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)

Department
:
Weekly contact with investigators to discuss research, education, direction, goals and time management; frequent contact with laboratory employees in collaboration on common research projects.

University
:
Occasional interaction with other faculty in the department and the university to provide updates on common collaborative research projects; utilize core university facilities for experimentation and maintain strong relationships with core managers for research collaborations.

External
:
Occasional communication with research collaborators from other institutions.

Students
:
Occasional contact with students to assist them with their research projects.

No direct supervisory responsibilities. Trains new staff and directs the work of students.

Education
:
Bachelor's degree in physiology, biochemistry, molecular biology or related scientific field and 1 to 3 years of related experience OR Associate’s degree in an approved biotechnology program and 2 to 4 years of experience.

• Knowledge of commonly used concepts, practices and procedures in chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and molecular/cellular biology and in vivo cardiovascular function.
• Experience with computer programming and molecular dynamic simulation is preferred.
• Previous experience working with animals preferred.
• Must demonstrate compliance with Case Western Reserve University animal research and care (ARC) policies and procedures and compliance to regulations of the Animal Welfare Act, Public Health Service Policy, AAALAC guidelines and other applicable regulatory guidelines.
• Must demonstrate compassion for animals within Case Western Reserve University facilities and dedication to the Animal Resource Center's mission; handle animals with care and respect at all times.
• Able to perform various molecular biology techniques.
• Prior experience with cell culture and protein expression/purification.
• Ability to follow instructions and pre-established guidelines to perform the functions of the job with minimal supervision.
• Strong organization skills and maintain a laboratory notebook, attention to scientific detail.
• Ability to multi-task,…