Research Scientist​/Engineer at University of Washington Seattle, WA

Research Scientist/Engineer 2 – University of Washington

Seattle, WA.

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees bring their boundless energy, creative problem‑solving skills, and dedication to building stronger minds and a healthier world. They enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities, and unique resources in an environment noted for its diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

The Department of Dermatology has an opening for a Research Scientist/Engineer 2 in the lab of Dr. Cory Simpson at the South Lake Union campus.

• NIH
• LEO Foundation
• UW Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM)

• Keep a complete, legible, and up‑to‑date laboratory record of all experiments and results
• Perform bacterial culturing, plasmid cloning, and plasmid DNA preps including of viral vectors
• Use sterile technique for culture and drug treatment of primary cells, immortalized cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)
• Perform transfection of cell cultures for transgene expression or RNAi‑based gene silencing
• Produce and utilize non‑pathogenic retroviral stocks for transduction of human cell cultures
• Collect RNA and protein lysates from cell cultures and analyze by qPCR and Western blotting
• Fix cells/tissues and perform immunostaining using multiple fluorescent antibodies
• Design microscopy experiments and prepare cell cultures for live confocal imaging
• Learn from PI to independently generate organoid skin cultures and submit for histology
• Learn to obtain wide‑field and confocal fluorescence microscopy images suitable for analysis
• Analyze and prepare data in graphs and figures for lab meetings, grants, formal presentations, or publications
• Transfer new methodologies from published research studies into the laboratory

• Monitor, order, and organize lab supplies to maintain adequate inventory
• Keep complete, accurate, and detailed records of all purchases and provide to the PI
• Safely utilize and monitor lab equipment and arrange necessary maintenance or repairs
• Establish collaborations for use of shared resources and equipment as appropriate
• Ensure timely replenishment of common lab chemicals, solutions, and other supplies
• Oversee biosafety lab inspection, biological use authorization, chemical/biological inventory, and IRB/IACUC protocols
• Attend lab meetings, weekly one‑on‑one meetings, Journal Club, seminars, and other group meetings related to our research

• Teach junior lab members basic lab techniques including cell culture, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting, and microscopy
• Maintain up to date training logs for lab members, including required trainings for biohazards and chemicals
• Help junior lab members troubleshoot experiments as needed
• Develop and update standardized protocols for experiments to be used by lab members
• Create a healthy, safe, violence‑free environment by reporting any concerns or conflicts to the PI

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Microbiology, or related Life Sciences plus a minimum of 2 years of experience working in a wet laboratory setting. Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.

• Must be familiar with common lab equipment, protocols, and safety including Biosafety Level 2
• Must have prior experience with molecular biology techniques necessary for plasmid cloning
• Must have prior experience with sterile cell culture, Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence microscopy
• Must have experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point
• Must have excellent organizational skills to track lab orders and expenses, develop and update lab protocols and compliance documents, collect and analyze data, construct graphs and figures
• Must be able to work on‑site in the lab Monday through Friday…