Temporary Non Lab Manager

Job Title and Compensation

Temporary non‑benefits – Lab Manager (Part time). Salary $25 per hour. Part‑time position, 19.5 hours per week. Located in Dallas, Texas. Temporary role on hourly pay basis.

Dr. Kirupa Suthakar, Principal Investigator of the Descending Auditory Circuits (DAC) Laboratory invites applications for a highly motivated and organized temporary lab manager. The ideal candidate will have prior basic science laboratory exposure including neuroscience research, rodent handling, mouse colony management, wet‑bench laboratory skills, and experience working with Microsoft Office software. The successful candidate will support everyday laboratory operations, conduct experiments, and contribute meaningfully to lab growth.

The lab’s research focuses on understanding neural circuits in the descending auditory system, specifically how auditory brainstem neurons encode acoustic information and identifying/characterizing neuromodulatory pathways that influence sound processing in the brain and cochlea. Using normal hearing and noise‑induced hearing loss models, long‑term goals include improving basic knowledge of brain processes that modulate sound encoding by the cochlea and identifying translatable therapeutic otoprotective targets to reduce susceptibility to hearing disorders caused by acoustic over exposures (i.e., noise trauma).

This position offers a unique opportunity to be part of a collaborative research network spanning the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Located in the brand‑new Texas Instruments Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (TI‑BMES) building, the successful applicant will be affiliated with both UTD and UTSW and gain exposure to a variety of research environments.

The temporary position is suited for someone with an interest in pursuing a PhD, seeking hands‑on research experience, and receiving direct mentorship from a supportive PI.

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Negative TB test
• Cleared criminal background check

• Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience, Biology, Chemistry or related field
• Prior neuroscience/basic scientific laboratory experience
• Experience working with rodent models and mouse colony management
• Proficiency in basic laboratory techniques and equipment
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Enthusiastic commitment to basic scientific research in auditory neuroscience
• Experience preparing brain tissue for immunohistochemistry and microscopy
• Interest in learning to perform rodent survival surgeries and auditory function testing
• Stereotaxic or other animal surgery experience
• Experience with electrophysiology
• Comfortable working with various scientific equipment (e.g., microscopes, amplifiers, pipette pullers, etc.)
• Strong statistical (Excel, Graph Pad Prism) and/or programming skills (e.g., R, MATLAB, Python)

To the extent this position requires access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification for hiring and continued employment.

• Administrative and technical operations in the lab
• Oversee ordering, logistics and regulatory compliance
• Oversee management of the mouse colony
• Maintain a clean and organized lab environment
• Maintain and calibrate laboratory equipment
• Keep laboratory inventory spreadsheets up to date
• Perform routine laboratory tasks, including preparation of solutions, reagents, etc.
• Develop or modify techniques and protocols
• Contribute to ongoing projects in the lab
• Train others in the lab
• Assist in the preparation of laboratory reports and presentations
• Support ongoing immunohistochemical and microscopy‑based analysis of brain and cochlear tissue
• Work independently performing a wide range of routine and specialized laboratory duties
• Perform other duties as assigned

• Basic understanding of neuroscience/biology
• W…