Research Specialist

Title: Research Specialist

Employee Classification: Research Specialist

Campus: University of North Texas Health at Fort Worth

Division: HSC-Provost & Exec VP

Sub Division-Department: HSC-CBTS-Office of the Dean

Department: HSC-Pharmacology & Neuroscience-302700

Job Location: Fort Worth

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience

FTE: 1.000000

Retirement Eligibility: TRS Eligible

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Pharmacology and Neuroscience Department plays a crucial role in advancing our understanding of drug actions and the nervous system. It integrates basic science with clinical applications, aiming to improve human health through innovative research and education.

The laboratory's research focuses on multi-omics discovery and comparative studies in ocular disorders and neurobiology topics. The lab is currently supported by an NIH early-career R00 research grant. The candidate will serve as the technical lead for the laboratory's mass spectrometry suite, primarily operating and maintaining a Bruker timsTOF Pro mass spectrometer paired with a Bruker nano Elute 2 LC system on a daily basis.

Bachelor's degree and two (2) years of related experience; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

Employees in this job may be responsible for conducting research on, working on, or having the ability to access critical organizational infrastructure and they must be able to maintain the security and integrity of the infrastructure related to this role.

• Clear, effective communication skills.
• Attention to detail and high level of accuracy.
• Time management skills including ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Knowledge of safety and security precautions appropriate to work performed.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in proteomics and glycomics sample preparation and data acquisition workflows.
• Familiarity with mass spectrometry software suites and bioinformic pipelines for quantitative proteomics processing.
• A strong record of contribution to scientific publications.
• Master's Degree in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related scientific discipline with hands-on LC-MS laboratory experience; OR

• Prepare complex biological samples, including protein extraction, enzymatic digestion, and peptide clean-up, with a focus on evaluating and developing novel, efficient sample preparation workflows.
• Design, test, and optimize Data-Independent Acquisition (DIA) LC-MS proteomics workflows to support high-throughput quantitative experiments and scientific publications.
• Perform daily operational routines, routine cleaning, system washing, mass calibration, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting for the timsTOF Pro and nano Elute 2 LC systems to maximize instrument uptime and performance.
• Process, analyze, and interpret complex DIA proteomics datasets using specialized bioinformic tools and software to ensure rigorous data quality control and reproducible research deliverables.