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Research Assistant I

Employer
Baylor College of Medicine
Location
Houston, Texas
Closing date
Dec 25, 2022

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Discipline
Health Sciences, Medicine
Position Type
Full Time
Job Type
Research Scientist
Organization Type
Academia
Summary

This is a full-time research position opening in my lab at the Children's Nutrition Research Center. The research focus of our lab is the role of nutrition in early life on the growth and function of skeletal muscle. The successful candidate will be involved in projects that will evaluate the effect of diet on skeletal muscle growth and function in experimental animal models. The job will require analytical work on collected specimens using biochemical, molecular biology, and histological techniques; using isolation and handling of primary cell cultures; handling mice, including breeding, and genotyping.

Successful candidates will have had previous research lab experience, excellent interpersonal skills, and will be self-motivated, reliable, efficient, methodical, and show an attention to detail. Superior organization, communication, and record keeping skills are essential. The candidate needs to be able to work independently and demonstrate both technical and academic abilities required to enable active participation in the on-going research.

Job Duties

• Conducts bench analytical work using a variety of biochemical, molecular biology, cell techniques. Occasional work will be required to assist with feeding and tissue collection from experimental animal models.
• Plans and conducts research experiments, evaluates, and analyzes data, summarizes results for presentation, and reports to principal investigator. Coordinates procedures with collaborators and other lab members.
• Maintains careful and detailed documentation of experiments in lab notebooks and collected data and its analysis. This requires a working knowledge of spreadsheets, some statistics, writing, and word processing skills.
• Develops new methodologies, identifies problems, and suggests solutions.
• Ensures that necessary supplies are ordered and available when needed; maintains track of budget.
• Engages in good laboratory practices to ensure that: the laboratory is clean and organized; equipment is maintained in optimal condition; appropriate safety protocols are followed; institutional regulatory protocols are followed, and appropriate documentation is maintained up to date.
• Performs other job-related duties, including assigning responsibilities and instructing less experienced lab members.
• Conducts literature searches and summarizes information in an appropriate format as needed in support of on-going projects.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a Basic Science or a related field.
  • Two years of relevant experience.


Preferred Qualifications

  • Master's degree in a biological science.
  • 2-3 years of experience directly working in a lab and proficient in skills defined below.


Other

Cell culture techniques including isolation and in vitro characterization of primary cells.

• General lab management
• Can perform standard molecular lab procedures including RNA and DNA isolation, PCR, and Western blotting.
• Experience with basic analytical techniques such as chromatography, enzyme assays, ELISAs, and radioimmunoassays.
• Experience with histology, and microscopy.
• Familiarity with standard lab equipment (centrifuges, electrophoresis, thermocyclers, incubators, etc.)
• Handling mice and analyzing tissues isolated from them.

Supervision:
• Trains and orients less experienced staff and students.

Working Conditions:
• There is exposure to experimental animals and periodic exposure to radioactive materials, but the work is still viewed as relatively comfortable in a laboratory environment.
• Will require some weekend and evening work.

Physical Requirements:
• Rarely required to exert physical effort.

Physical Risk:
• Frequently handles/works with biohazards or risks for potential job-related injury, such as those found in an ordinary laboratory environment.

Baylor College of Medicine requires employees to be fully vaccinated -subject to approved exemptions-against vaccine-preventable diseases including, but not limited to, COVID-19 and influenza.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.

12141

CA; CH; SN

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