Research Specialist – Virology Laboratory Sharma

Research Specialist – Virology Laboratory Sharma

The successful candidate will support the day-to-day operations of a multidisciplinary virology and structural biology research laboratory conducting NIH-funded research on viral pathogenesis, host-pathogen interactions, and translational infectious disease research. This role balances administrative, compliance, and operational duties with hands-on technical support across multiple collaborative research projects in a dynamic academic research environment.

Laboratory Operations, Inventory & Logistics

• Maintain general laboratory organization, workflows, and efficient daily operations.
• Manage purchasing, vendor interactions, supply ordering, shipment receiving, and inventory control.
• Prepare, maintain, and catalog biological inventories (viral stocks, plasmid DNA, bacterial glycerol stocks, cell lines, and specimen archives).
• Oversee shared equipment scheduling, routine maintenance, calibration, and basic troubleshooting.
• Serve as the primary liaison with institutional core facilities.

Technical & Research Support

• Provide technical assistance to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and lab staff across virology, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, and immunology projects.
• Maintain mammalian cell cultures.
• Execute standard laboratory techniques including viral propagation/titration, molecular cloning, nucleic acid/protein analyses, protein purification, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, and microscopy.
• Prepare common laboratory reagents, stock solutions, and buffers.

Compliance, Safety & Training

• Assist with laboratory biosafety, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), and institutional regulatory compliance activities.
• Coordinate onboarding, laboratory orientation, and safety training for incoming personnel.
• Maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), safety documentation, and regulatory compliance records.

Documentation, Data Integrity & Administrative Support

• Maintain rigorous, accurate laboratory records and electronic database inventories.

If you are a collaborative and detail-oriented research professional who enjoys hands-on laboratory work and contributing to innovative virology research, we invite you to bring your skills to the Sharma Laboratory and join NC State's research community.

Qualifications

• Minimum Experience/Education
  - Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
• Preferred Qualifications
  - Proficiency in mammalian cell culture, molecular cloning, SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, and protein quantification assays. Hands-on knowledge of recombinant protein expression and purification using affinity chromatography and FPLC/ÄKTA systems. Knowledge of laboratory inventory management, supply procurement, equipment maintenance, recordkeeping, and biosafety and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) requirements. Effective organizational, written, and verbal communication skills, with the capacity to work independently and collaborate with faculty, staff, and trainees.
• Required License or Certification - n/a
• Valid NC Driver's License required
  - No
• Commercial Driver's License Required? - No