Research Assistant II - Melanoma Med Oncology -Research

The mission of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.

Provides Technical Assistance in carrying out various research projects.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES
1. Perform all administrative duties for the lab, which include organizing laboratory administration paperwork, attend dept administration meetings for lab personnel, and interact with departmental lab manager.

2. Maintain lab safety records, prepare the lab for periodic safety inspections, and keep the lab chemical inventory up to date with institutional requirements.

3. Order general lab chemicals, glassware/plasticware as required and work with lab members to manage inventories of all lab consumables.

4. Coordinate maintenance and repair of research equipment and tissue culture facilities with internal facilities personnel and outside vendors.

5. Recycle biohazard waste, defrost freezers when required, submit glassware/plasticware for autoclaving, and occasionally prepare general lab reagents.

6. Manage frozen cell line inventories, perform cell culture work to prepare cell lines stocks for the lab as required. Occasionally perform cell biology experiments, sample preparations, and immunostaining of tissue slides.

7. Organize & submit samples to core facilities, including but not limited to immunohistochemistry, RPPA, RNA/DNA sequencing core facilities.

8. Occasionally help lab members with experiments as required for completing manuscripts and grants on a timely basis.

9. Organize collaborotion shipments for sending or receiving. Occasionally organize and submit collaboration samples for analysis at core facilities. Create shipment labels and manage such shipments.

10. Assist PI with other lab and administrative work as required.

COMPETENCIES

Analytical Thinking - Gather relevant information systematically; break down problems into simple components; make sound decisions.

Innovative Thinking - Approach problems with curiosity and open-mindedness; offer new ideas, solutions and/or options.

Technical/Functional Expertise - Demonstrate technical proficiency required to do the job; possess up-to-date knowledge in the profession; provide technical expertise to others.

Service Orientation
Provide service to our stakeholders, including patients, caregivers, colleagues and each other, in a safe, courteous, accountable, efficient and innovative manner to include:

• Promoting inclusiveness and collegiality that demonstrates respect and professionalism to our stakeholders at all times
• Modeling safe, ethical behavior that mitigates risk to the institution through sound business practices, and adherence to MD Anderson's Standards of Conduct, institutional policies and procedures
• Responding to requests in a timely manner while proactively communicating expectations for procedures, service arrival, or project deliverables to stakeholders
• Using the steps to HEAL (Hear, Empathize, Address and Learn) the relationship when service recovery is needed

Customer Focus
Builds and maintains customer satisfaction with the products and services offered by the organization through skills demonstrated in communication, personalization of interaction, regulation of emotions, and proactive problem solving.

Performance Statement Examples

• Presents a cheerful, positive manner with customers either on the phone or in person. Shows interest in, actively listens to and responds in a clear and timely manner to customer's expressed needs.
• Focuses on the customer's results, rather than own. Goes beyond basic service expectations to help customers implement complete solutions through personalized service that anticipates the customer's unspoken needs.
• Delivers services when and where the customer needs them. Explores options when unable to deliver a requested product or service, and pursues solutions until the customer is satisfied by addressing the root cause of the issue. Problem solves with patient, family member, care giver or clinical team to aid in proactively resolving issues and concerns.
• Provides to customers status reports and progress updates. Seeks customer feedback and ensures needs have been fully met.
• Talks to customers (internal and external) with a pleasant tone to find out what they need and how satisfied they are with the service. Remains in control of own reactions and responds in a manner that demonstrates appropriate nonverbal cues and complements the customer's emotions in the situation. Recognizes when its is necessary to escalate situations to leadership to ensure customer satisfaction.

EDUCATION:
Required: Bachelor's degree with major course works in one of the basic sciences.

Preferred: Master's degree with major course works in one of the basic sciences.

EXPERIENCE:
Required: Two years experience in scientific or experimental research work. No experience required with preferred degree.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html