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Junior/Assistant Specialist - Ambrosi Lab

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Position overview

Salary range: A reasonable estimate for this position is $49,000-$63,000 annually for Exempt, and $23.47-$30.18 hourly for non-Exempt.

Position description

The newly opening Ambrosi lab at UC Davis Health School of Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, an academic/clinical department, encompassing several sub-specialties, is seeking a Junior/Assistant Specialist to kick-start a cutting-edge lab studying skeletal stem cell-based aging biology.

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery invites applications from qualified candidates for a Junior/Assistant Specialist position (full-time or part-time) in orthopaedic stem cell research. The Specialist will assist with research projects involving the delineation of skeletal stem cell (SSC) diversity and niche composition in mice and humans as well as to establish novel molecular engineering approaches for targeted control of endogenous stem cell function that is lost during aging. Previous and ongoing work has comprehensively investigated SSC biology during mouse and human development as well as how alterations in the SSC compartment drive aging and oncogenic malignancies by cell-autonomous processes and multi-stem cell system crosstalk. Our long-term goal is to develop strategies to prevent and reverse SSC-based bone aging and malignancies. Please see some of our published work in Nature, Cell Stem Cell, and eLife
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28330582/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34280086/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34381212/

The Specialist will be responsible for coordinating regular every day lab operations. The Specialist will be assisting laboratory members in the preparation and analysis of primary skeletal stem cell populations isolated from mouse and human tissues. The Specialist will assist multiple projects and must manage time efficiently in doing so. The Specialist will work independently under general guidance from the postdocs/grad students and must have the ability to recognize irregularities in experimental results and modify experiments as needed. Multiple basic techniques and skills are desired and include: techniques of molecular biology, tissue culture, qPCR and RNA extraction. Depending on the experience and time the Specialist will be able to develop and maintain independent projects. Additionally, the Specialist will order supplies and prepare some reagents for use by other members of the lab and will train new researchers in basic protocols and analyses.

The Ambrosi lab offers an inclusive, multidisciplinary, and collaborative work environment. We strive to conduct cutting edge research at the forefront of orthopaedic research. The Specialist will be able to learn and apply the latest methodologies, including single cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, in vitro and in vivo stem cell assays. We anticipate that the Specialist will be attending and presenting at major scientific conferences as well as significantly contribute to publications as an author. We also encourage and offer full mentoring support for grad/med school applications.

The incumbent will work under the direction of Dr. Tom Ambrosi.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • Standard wet lab duties pertaining to guaranteeing smooth lab operations. This includes but is not limited to ordering, maintaining inventory, writing, and updating protocols, supporting experiments of other lab members.
  • Assist with writing animal protocols and IRB proposals.
  • Maintenance of lab equipment.
  • Perform, analyze, and interpret experiments.
  • Coordinate and facilitate collection of clinical patient research specimens.
  • Present results and progress updates at lab meetings and make presentations to experimental and scientific collaborators.
  • Attend seminars, lectures, and training courses to learn new skills.
  • Review literature on an ongoing basis to remain current with new procedures and apply learnings to related research.
  • Assist with orientation and training of new staff or students on lab procedures or techniques.
  • Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors bases on training and lessons learned

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Research in Specialized Areas (90% effort)

  • Participate in research projects involving the delineation of skeletal stem cell (SSC) diversity and niche composition in mice and humans as well as to establish novel molecular engineering approaches for targeted control of endogenous stem cell function that is lost during aging.

Professional Competence and Activity (8%)

  • Participate in appropriate professional/technical societies or groups and other educational and research organizations.
  • Review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.

University and Public Service (2% effort)

  • May maintain liaison and respond to the needs of various industry organizations, state and federal agencies, and other external groups on issues related to area of expertise.
  • Participate in activities of committees within the department, college, campus and other University entities, as appropriate.

Number of Positions Available: 1

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

Junior Specialist

  • Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) in a field that meets the needs of the department
  • General understanding of scientific principles
  • Wet lab or computational biology experience of advantage
  • Experience in orthopaedic research of advantage
  • Experience working with mice desired
  • Authorship in peer-reviewed publications and conference papers is a plus but no required
  • Must have the ability to work cooperatively and collegially within a diverse environment and adhere to University policy and procedures

Assistant Specialist

  • Master’s degree (or equivalent degree) in a field that meets the needs of the department
  • 2-5 years of wet lab experience, ideally in stem cell, orthopaedic and/or computational biology
  • Experience working with mice desired
  • Authorship in peer-reviewed publications and conference papers is a plus but no required
  • Must have the ability to work cooperatively and collegially within a diverse environment and adhere to University policy and procedures

Application Requirements

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

  • Letter of Motivation

  • Statement of Research (Optional)

  • Statement of Teaching (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)
Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05418

Help contact: suntalasco@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

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 UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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Job location

Sacramento, CA