Junior Specialist - Weber Lab

Position overview

Salary range: $4,750.00 per month, at step 1, or $5,058.33 per month, at step 2.

• Open date:
  August 27, 2026
• Next review date:
  Wednesday, Sep 16, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
• Final date:
  Wednesday, Sep 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)

Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

The Department of Anatomy, Physiology & Cell Biology at the University of California, Davis, invites applicants for a qualified Junior Specialist with the Weber Lab.

The Weber Lab is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to be involved in a project identifying mechanisms of vertebra morphogenesis in mouse and jerboa.

The Junior Specialist will plan and execute experiments involving mouse and jerboa tissue collection during key phases of vertebra formation. This will include animal husbandry, genotyping, tissue microdissection, tissue cryo- and paraffin sectioning, histological staining, immunostainings, and in situ hybridizations. In addition, the candidate is expected to review the scientific literature, and in conjunction with the Principal Investigator, formulate new hypotheses and design and conduct new experiments.

The candidate is also expected to attend and present their work at lab and group research meetings, as well as help prepare figures and assist in writing manuscripts for publication.

The Junior Specialist will be expected to assist in lab management, animal colony maintenance, and coordination of supplies needed for the successful day-to-day running of the lab. This will include keeping track of and ordering supplies, maintaining the lab space, and assisting with jerboa colony maintenance and husbandry. The candidate will also be involved in animal use protocol reporting and compliance, help ensure that safety regulations are met, and assist in training undergraduate and rotation students as appropriate.

The Junior Specialist will have opportunities to participate in local and regional meetings and attend seminars as appropriate.

The Junior Specialist will mentor undergraduate lab assistants working in the lab, and participate in laboratory, departmental, and group meetings, and other activities as applicable.

Bachelors of Science degree in molecular and cellular biology, developmental biology or a related field, with at least 3 months of previous lab experience. The ideal candidate will have: strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize responsibilities, interpersonal communication skills, decision‑making skills and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team. Experience must include some molecular and/or tissue processing skills such as PCR, DNA extraction, plasmid preps or immunostaining and in situ hybridization.

The ideal candidate must be able to keep a complete and detailed laboratory notebook, be able to document data for publication and/or presentations and be willing to learn new skills.

Previous experience or coursework in studying development and evolution or musculoskeletal anatomy and biology is preferred. Experience with animal maintenance, dissection and tissue collection, histology, microscopy, sequence programs and coding is preferred.

• Cover Letter
• Curriculum Vitae
  - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Statement of Research
• Authorization to Release Information Form
  - This form is required for all applicants applying to academic recruitments. Please see the Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage for more information. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form.
• Statement of Teaching (Optional)

• 2-3 required (contact information only)

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As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any…