Research Associate, Research Scientist, Research Assistant​/Associate

Research Associate 2

The Research Associate 2 provides day‑to‑day operational leadership for the UConn Health Biomechanics Lab within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Institute. This position combines hands‑on biomechanical testing with laboratory management, safety oversight, educational programming support, and research collaboration.

Ensures laboratories meet the needs of clinical faculty, residents, research programs, and industry partners while maintaining compliance with all applicable safety and regulatory standards.

Receives general supervision from the Director of Clinical Research (HR) with scientific & strategic direction from the Clinical/Faculty Lab Director.

Leads research assistant or other staff members of lower rank, as assigned.

• Plans unit workload and determines priorities.
• Schedules, assigns, oversees, and reviews work.
• Establishes and maintains unit procedures.
• Provides staff training and assistance.
• Conducts or assists in conducting performance evaluations.
• Acts as liaison with operating units, agencies, and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures.
• May make recommendations on policies or standards.
• May prepare reports and correspondence.
• Designs and performs experiments and discusses concepts and results.
• Assists in writing scientific publications and grants.
• Does database development and management.
• May be responsible for budget preparation on grants.
• May perform laboratory maintenance.
• May train fellows, medical/dental students, post docs in relevant research techniques.
• Performs related duties as required.

• Considerable knowledge of relevant research protocols, principles and procedures, knowledge of relevant advanced scientific techniques.
• Considerable knowledge of experimental design, mathematics, statistics, relevant computer applications/resources, laboratory equipment/procedures.
• Considerable knowledge of a relevant science such as chemistry, biology, microbiology, pharmacology.
• Considerable knowledge of physical and data resources in applicable research disciplines.
• Oral and written communication skills; interpersonal skills.
• Ability to identify, produce, quantify, organize, analyze, evaluate, interpret and report data.
• Supervisory ability.

Master's degree in biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering, biomechanics, or closely related field, plus three (3) years of experience in biomechanical testing, biomedical engineering research, or related laboratory operations.

Bachelor's degree and four (4) years of appropriate research experience in biomechanical testing, biomedical engineering research, or related laboratory operations.

One (1) year of the general experience must have been at a level equivalent to the Research Associate 1.

• Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
• Incumbents in this class may be required to undergo periodic tests or immunizations for communicable diseases.
• Experience with hydraulic or servo‑hydraulic mechanical testing systems (MTS, Instron, or equivalent).
• Experience with cadaveric specimen handling and testing protocols.
• Strong working knowledge of biomechanical testing principles, orthopaedic implant evaluation, and tissue mechanics.
• Proficiency with data acquisition systems, MATLAB, and statistical software.

• Five (5) or more years of experience in a biomechanics or biomedical engineering laboratory, preferably in an academic medical center or orthopaedic research setting.
• Prior supervisory or lab management experience.
• Experience contributing to peer‑reviewed publications and/or grant applications.
• Familiarity with orthopaedic surgical instrumentation and bioskills training environments.
• Experience with industry‑sponsored research and vendor management.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and priorities independently.
• Knowledge of laboratory safety regulations and compliance requirements.

Incumbents in this class may occasionally be required to lift standard laboratory equipment/supplies; may be exposed to some risk of injury from such elements as toxic vapors, and toxic radioactive materials and/or disease bearing substances; may be exposed to moderately disagreeable conditions.

This position is full‑time, 40 hours per week. The hours will be determined by the department and laboratory needs. Some evening and weekend availability may be required to support bioskills events and time‑sensitive biomechanical testing.

The University of Connecticut Health Center is an affirmative action employer, in addition to an EEO and M/F/V/PWD/PV employer. All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics which may be found ics.state.ct.us.