Junior Specialist​/Baik Lab

Junior Specialist Position Description in the Chiu Lab Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis

The position of Specialist has a narrow focus in a specialized area and provides technical or specialized expertise (e.g., with instrumentation and research equipment or with social science research methods) in the planning and execution of a research project. The Specialist stays apprised of emerging issues and problems and maintains technical competence in the designated area(s) of specialization. Within this defined area and when appropriate, the Specialist is expected to provide mentorship, facilitate teamwork and develop collaborative relationships with colleagues and to supply input into the planning of research and educational programs.

Normally, Specialists do not have Principal Investigator (PI) status but may obtain permission by exception and/or collaborate with a PI in preparing research proposals for extramural funding. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using three basic criteria outlined below.

We aim to hire a Junior Specialist, Step 1 to conduct research in sensory neurobiology of insects. The Junior Specialist will contribute to a number of projects related to understanding the genetic, cellular, and neural mechanisms underlying behaviors of mosquitoes and other insects. Projects will examine how mosquitoes detect environmental cues, such as taste cues, to modulate their disease-spreading behaviors, such as biting, and examine methods to suppress these behaviors.

Primary duties will include executing lab experiments, maintaining colonies of insects, lab maintenance, managing data, and summarizing and presenting results. The incumbent must be motivated, detail‑oriented, and organized and able to conduct work independently in a professional environment, including working with lab members and scientific collaborators.

• Continuously and effectively engage in research activity of scholarly quality and significance in the area of mosquito biology.
• Assist with maintenance of lab mosquito populations and conduct lab assays.
• Successful candidate will create DNA constructs, introduce DNA constructs into mosquitoes to create new mosquito strains using CRISPR/Cas9 gene‑editing technology, and examine the phenotype of these strains using molecular, cellular, imaging, and behavioral approaches.
• Generate figures for publication using Graph Pad, MS PowerPoint, Bio Render, Adobe Illustrator, or other appropriate software.
• Documentation of effective planning and execution of research projects through regular laboratory group meetings.
• Read relevant published literature in the field of mosquito neurobiology and vector biology to plan new research directions.
• Assist the PI and other lab members with lab experiments.
• Help organize and maintain protocols, data, and lab equipment.
• Assist with lab maintenance, including maintaining lab safety and chemical inventory records.
• Assist the PI and other lab members in manuscript preparation, including but not limited to reading academic literature, writing manuscript sections, and revising manuscripts based on conducted work.

• Present research at weekly lab meetings, regional scientific meetings, or national scientific meetings.
• Participate in or attend weekly lab meetings, joint lab meetings with other mosquito labs on campus, and weekly seminars in the Department of Entomology and Nematology.
• Participate in relevant outreach events.
• Engage with scientific literature and related research to inform research directions and protocols and to contribute to new research.

• As a component of university service, the incumbent may be asked to serve on one or more department committees, such as the Department Safety Committee or the Facilities Committee.
• As a public service, the incumbent will be encouraged to participate in outreach activities, such as those held as part of events hosted by the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the Department of Entomology and Nematology, or conducted independently by the Chiu lab. This could include various events aimed at promoting circadian wellness among California stakeholders.
• The Junior Specialist will mentor undergraduate students in the lab.