Research Technician - Gonzalez Lab

Overview

The Gonzalez Lab at UCSF is seeking a Research Technician to join a multidisciplinary neuroscience team studying how the brain controls communication, social behavior, and sleep. The role focuses on animal behavior, high‑density electrophysiology, optical imaging, closed‑loop stimulation, machine learning, and custom instrument development to understand neural circuit dynamics in birds and humans.

• Assist with zebra finch behavioral experiments, including animal handling, daily monitoring, husbandry support, and coordination with approved animal‑care protocols.
• Operate and maintain experimental systems for audio, video, neural recording, stimulation, and behavioral monitoring during singing, social interaction, and sleep.
• Build, modify, and troubleshoot laboratory instruments using 3D printing, CNC machining, electronic prototyping, microcontrollers, sensors, cameras, microphones, and custom software.
• Collect, verify, organize, and document behavioral, audio, video, electrophysiology, imaging, and experimental metadata with attention to reproducibility and data integrity.
• Use software tools such as Python, MATLAB, ImageJ/FIJI, Arduino or related microcontroller environments, and AI‑assisted coding workflows to process data and improve lab pipelines.
• Help develop and test analyses for birdsong, motif structure, sleep‑state decoding, closed‑loop experiments, and eventually human EEG/natural speech datasets.
• Prepare figures, summaries, quality‑control reports, and basic analyses for lab meetings, manuscripts, grant materials, and project planning.
• Maintain inventories, organize shared lab spaces, track equipment status, support routine maintenance, and help ensure safe and compliant laboratory operations.
• Participate in laboratory meetings, planning sessions, and literature discussions relevant to the lab’s research areas.

• Bachelor of Science degree in neuroscience, biology, engineering, computer science, physics, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and related work experience.
• Strong interest in both engineering and biology, with motivation to work directly with animals and experimental hardware as well as code and data.
• Some laboratory, animal‑care, engineering, computational, electronics, maker‑space, or research experience preferred.
• Basic programming or data‑analysis experience, ideally in Python, MATLAB, R, Arduino, or related tools. Prior experience with AI‑assisted coding is helpful but not required.
• Comfort learning unfamiliar systems, troubleshooting equipment, reading documentation, and solving practical problems with careful supervision and good judgment.
• Ability to keep accurate records, follow protocols, document decisions, and communicate progress and problems clearly.
• Ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a diverse population of trainees, staff, and collaborators.
• A serious interest in scientific discovery and a willingness to engage deeply with the technical and biological questions behind the work.
• Reliability, attention to detail, curiosity, and the ability to balance independent initiative with careful adherence to approved protocols and supervisor direction.

• Remain in a normal seated or standing position for extended periods of time.
• Reach and grasp by extending hand(s) or arm(s); dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers, for example using a keyboard.
• Communication skills using the spoken word.
• Ability to see and hear within normal parameters.
• Ability to move about workspace and lift materials weighing up to several pounds, such as a laptop or tablet.
• Possibly exposure to malodorous vapors, low dose radiation, contamination by toxic chemicals and acids, and presence of carcinogenic substances or other hazardous materials.

Competitive pay, exceptional health benefits, retirement plans, time off, and a range of recognition and wellness programs.

HHMI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We support basic biomedical scientists and educators with the potential for transformative impact and promote a culture of inclusion in our work environments and across the greater scientific community.