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Jr Specialist - Jin Lab

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Position description

The junior specialist will be mainly involved in coordination, management and maintenance of brain and tissue banks, performing tissue-related technologies, processing blood and other tissue samples, storing and tracking tissue samples, providing tissues to researchers, maintaining database, as well as miscellaneous supporting work for the laboratory operations under the supervision of Dr. Jin. The tissue specimens include postmortem human and mouse brain tissue, blood samples, cerebrospinal fluid samples, and DNA/RNA and cellular samples. Specifically, the duties include: 1) to catalog and store tissue specimens, to dispose unneeded specimens, and to maintain an updated specimen database, 2) to coordinate between autopsy providers, neuropathologists, and tissue technologists in order to facilitate smooth postmortem diagnosis, tissue storage and entry into the database, 3) to communicate with various investigators regarding the status of tissue specimens and database, 4) to manage documents, to retrieve tissue and coordinate with tissue technologist to efficiently provide specimens to requesting scientists, 5) to perform tissue-related technologies, and 6) to provide miscellaneous support to the laboratory and operational activities.

General responsibilities:
RESEARCH (50%):
•Help design the protocol, coordinate, and manage research autopsy and sample utilization programs
• Manage datasets, records, and research documentation
• Mentor student employees in the laboratory as required
• Conduct, oversee, and provide creative feedback on the following laboratory techniques: 1) research blood sample processing; 2) DNA extraction; 3) RNA extraction; 4) database input and management; 5) tissue sample tracking and distribution; 6) quality control; and 7) tissue-related technologies.
• Correctly use and maintain laboratory equipment such as micro-plate reader, balances, centrifuges, microscopes, pipettes, cryostat, and laminar flow hoods
• Update, modify, and revise plans for standard laboratory procedures to fulfill the needs of each research project.
• Manage autopsy to lab program by coordinating between coroner, neuropathologists and tissue technicians while preserving sample integrity.
• Other related jobs assigned by supervisor

PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE (40%):
• Participate in the annual UC-Davis Alzheimer’s disease center symposium (research presentation and/or steering committee membership) and monthly UC-Davis Alzheimer’s disease center clinical pathological meetings.
•Active member of “brains to classrooms” program ran by Dr. Dugger.
• The incumbent will serve as a key coordinator in large scale collaboration investigating the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease and related brain disorders, using human and mouse tissue samples.
•The incumbent will have opportunities to develop interpersonal and communication skills in bioscience research via coordination between autopsy providers, hospital or funeral home administrators, neuropathologists, laboratory staff, and tissue technologists.
• The incumbent will have opportunities to develop presentation abilities in laboratory meetings and the departmental meeting and other on-campus events.
• The incumbent will be given the opportunities to organize clinical research activities such as clinicopathological correlation and biomarker discovery. In this capactiy, the incumbent is encouraged to read appropriate literature and discuss during laboratory meetings.
• The incumbent will be encouraged to have membership with appropriate societies and participate in appropriate meetings and groups on-campus.

UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (10%):
• Mentorship of volunteer and undergraduate students

Basic Qualifications:
• Bachelor degree in biological sciences or a related field
• Willingness to work outside of typical hours to facilitate autopsy to lab program, to include possible phone calls nights and weekends.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Proficient computer skills including spreadsheet and database software
• Ability to work with rodent tissue, human tissue and human cell lines
• Ability to abide by safety and patient privacy regulations. Able to safely work with tissue fixatives, dry ice, and liquid nitrogen
• Flexible to changing demands of research tasks
• Professional approach to work and attention to detail
• Ability to review literature and follow the protocols of others’
• Enthusiastic in learning new lab skills

Salary:
Step I - $40,700 Annually, 100% FTE
Number of Positions Available: 2

Term of Appointment:
One year with possibility to extend to two maximum. Non-Exempt appointment based on the needs of the research project. 100% Appointment.

Please submit:
Cover Letter (Optional), CV (Required) or Resume, and Contact Information for three references (Required) to https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/apply/JPF03449
This posting will remain open until filled through 9/04/2020.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see:
http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.

UC Davis was ranked #1 in 2016 on Forbes Magazine list of the 13 most important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) universities for women, and is expecting to earn the U.S. Department of Education’s “Hispanic Serving Institution” designation by 2018-2019. Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its student body by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students through such organizations and programs as the Center for African Diaspora Student Success; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center; Casa Cuauhtémoc Chicano-Latino Theme House; Asian Pacific American Theme House; ME/SA (Middle astern/South Asian) living-learning community; Multi- Ethnic Program (MEP); Chicano/Latino Retention Initiative; and Native American Theme Program.

UC Davis is a smoke & tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/). Davis is a smoke- and tobacco-free campus effective January 1, 2014. Smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes) will be strictly prohibited on any property owned or leased by UC Davis-- indoors and outdoors, including parking lots and residential space.

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCD positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify.

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact the recruiting department.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter (Optional)

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 3-5 required (contact information only)
2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Diversity 2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Women

Job location

Sacramento, CA