The Nelson lab in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, seeks candidates for Laboratory and Research Technician 2 or a Lab Specialist.
The technician/specialist will perform work involving experimental procedures and laboratory management in the lab of Dr. Christine Nelson. The Nelson lab focuses on mechanisms of immunity to respiratory mycobacterial infections, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Experimental procedures are a combination of in vitro and in vivo work in animal models of infection and are carried out in biosafety level 2 and 3 (BSL2/3) conditions. Expectations of procedures performed, and degree of independence will be based on the candidate's level of experience, with the expectation for learning new and more complex techniques. Laboratory management will consist of animal colony management, ordering of supplies, inventory management, training, protocol development, data management, and compliance monitoring.
The successful candidate will:
- Perform cell culture, microbiology, molecular biology, flow-cytometry, and small animal experiments in bio-safety level 1, 2, and 3 conditions.
- Bacterial cell culture: Expand and evaluate stocks of mycobacteria under BSL2 or BSL3 conditions using standard aseptic microbiology techniques, RNA/DNA/protein extraction, purification, and quantification.
- Mammalian cell culture: Grow and maintain cell lines from mouse, human, and non-human primate cellular sources for evaluation of immunological perturbations using flow-cytometry, ELISAs, qRT-PCR, and microscopy.
- Animal models: Perform microbial infections and experimental interventions on mice at BSL1,2, and 3 precautions. Evaluate health outcomes, perform live procedures (injections, blood collection, biopsy, etc.), conduct dissections, and process murine tissues for immune evaluation by flow-cytometry, ELISA, qRT-PCR, microscopy, and transcriptomics.
- Animal colony management: Monitor and inventory murine colonies in BSL1, 2, and 3 facilities. Ordering mice for experiments and breeding. Perform breeding colony management by assessing lab needs, setting up breeding cages, weaning offspring, genotyping, and maintaining records.
- Ordering supplies/Inventory: Manage a database of laboratory supplies and stocks. Order supplies and reagents as needed. Prepare laboratory stocks and reagents as needed.
- Protocol development/Training/Compliance monitoring: Maintain laboratory SOPs, protocols, and biosafety plans. Train new employees on these procedures and monitor for compliance.
- Data Management/Analysis: Maintain experimental records, perform data analysis, and write reports, in an assistant or independent role.
- Candidates will be expected to work both independently and as a team to perform duties. Technicians/specialists will attend weekly lab meetings and present their work.
Additional skills, knowledge, and expectations:
- Organizational skills and attention to detail: Staff are expected to keep daily records in an electronic lab notebook, manage inventories, and report experimental results in a manner that is organized and easy to share with others.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are required.
- Additional experience in statistics and data analysis is appreciated but not required.
- Physical demands: This position requires lab staff to perform work in biosafety level 2 and 3 conditions. Our work follows biosafety rules and regulations set forth by the UVA department of Environmental Health and Safety. This work will require wearing additional personal protective equipment and a powered air purifying respirator (PAPR). Work at elevated biosafety levels will also require a background check and medical clearance prior to approval. Laboratory work can involve extensive periods of time standing, squatting, and sitting. Keyboarding and pipetting also necessitate fine motor manipulation of hands and fingers.
- Position and salary will be dependent on level of experience.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Lab and Research Technician 2
Education: Associate's degree
Experience: At least 2 years of lab experience which may include student experience. Bachelor's degree in related science will be considered in lieu of experience.
Licensure: None.
Lab Specialist
Education: Bachelor's degree.
Experience: 2 years of experience. 4 years of lab-related experience accepted in lieu of degree.
Licensure: None.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This position can spend extensive periods of time standing and squatting while conducting experiments or caring for animals. Also requires keyboarding and other bench work and animal procedures requiring finer finger manipulation.
This position is in Charlottesville, Virginia.
This is a restricted position and is dependent upon project need, availability of funding and performance. This is a non-exempt level, benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit hr.virginia.edu/benefits.
This position will not sponsor applicants for work visas. The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. A completed pre-employment health screen is required for this position prior to employment.
TO APPLY:
Please apply through the UVA job board, and search for R0066050. Internal applicants must apply through their UVA Workday profile by searching 'Find Jobs' and search for R0066050. Complete an application online with the following documents:
Upload all materials into the resume submission field. Multiple documents can be submitted in this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all required documents will not receive full consideration.
References will be completed via UVA's standardized Skill Survey. During the final phase of the interview, five references will be requested via SkillSurvey.
For questions about the application process, please contact Michelle Johnson, Recruiter.
For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community, please see here and here.
The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician's Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person's perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, and family medical or genetic information.
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