Research Professional , Ecology & Evolutionary Biology; Extended Temporary

Research Professional I, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (Extended Temporary)

Position Highlights

The Gutierrez Laboratory in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology invites applications for a full-time, temporary Research Professional I.

In this role, the Research Professional will conduct research activities that support the overall mission of the Gutierrez Laboratory, working with beneficial bacterial isolates from flies and assisting with other duties essential to the laboratory’s operation, such as ordering supplies, training personnel, and administering lab safety programs.

This is an Extended Temporary Employment (ETE) position expected to last 6 months, with the possibility of extension up to one year.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; tuition reduction for the employee and eligible family members; retirement plans; access to recreation and cultural activities; and more.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Conduct and maintain bacterial glycerol stocks and manage common bacterial supplies.
• Work independently on defined experiments in microbiology and molecular biology and report findings to the PI.
• Demonstrate a general understanding of the research lab’s mission.
• Effectively prioritize workload and manage multiple priorities to meet deadlines.
• Assist the PI with laboratory manuscripts, contributing to methods, results, and figure generation for directly performed experiments.
• Participate in lab meetings and scientific seminars.
• Place orders for materials and supplies; collaborate with the business office to ensure proper cost allocation and monitoring of expenditure levels.
• Monitor inventory and maintain adequate common supplies; keep the laboratory organized and maintain protocols in shared Google Documents.
• Serve as a knowledge resource and provide training on laboratory procedures.
• Prepare the laboratory for annual biosafety inspections and other regulatory reviews.
• Administrate lab safety programs, train and monitor lab members, establish environmental health and safety standards, and oversee documentation of safety SOPs.
• Respond to lab members’ calls outside routine hours regarding lab-related questions or emergencies.
• Address equipment malfunctions outside standard work hours, reporting to the lab when necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Proficient in computer use, including software applications, databases, spreadsheets, and word processing.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Independent and self‑motivated.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.
• Ability to manage multiple and competing priorities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated strong, positive interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively across disciplines and with a wide range of individuals.

Physical and Environmental Abilities

• Ability to lift/move up to 25 lbs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through experience.
• Experience in microbiology, molecular biology techniques (bacterial DNA extraction and PCR), and bacterial genome sequencing (HiFi Pac Bio, Illumina, Nanopore).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in a related field.
• One or more years of relevant work experience.