Junior Specialist for Dr. Yiu's lab at the UC Davis Eye Center
Position overview
Application Window
Open date: December 27, 2024
Next review date: Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Sunday, Nov 30, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
Junior Specialist Position
Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science
UC Davis School of Medicine
The laboratory of Glenn Yiu, M.D., Ph.D. in the Department of Ophthalmology & Vision Science at UC Davis School of Medicine is seeking a full-time Junior Specialist (BA- or BS-level research assistant) to work closely with the principal investigator on research projects involving ocular imaging, retinal cell biology, genome engineering, and gene therapy. Dr. Yiu is a clinician-scientist who combines work as a retinal surgeon with translational and clinical research in retinal diseases, with a focus on age-related macular degeneration (AMD), gene editing, and gene therapy across mouse, nonhuman primates, and human studies. As such, the successful candidate will be exposed to cutting-edge technologies and research in vision science and eye diseases. More information about the principal investigator and reading center can be found at: https://health.ucdavis.edu/eyecenter/yiulab/index.html.
The incumbent will participate in the following duties:
Research (85%):
The Junior Specialist will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities through the following roles and duties:
- Acquisition and processing of in vivo ocular imaging data from optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) images including adaptive optics from mouse, macaque, or human subjects.
- Dissection, processing, and histology of mouse or macaque tissues.
- Bioinformatics and analysis of single-cell or bulk RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq or RNA-seq) data.
- Management, grading, and organization of image data from human clinical studies.
- Shared lab duties, such as ordering and maintaining lab supplies, maintaining equipment, and maintaining compliance. -Preparing scholarly manuscripts and figures for publication in peer-reviewed journals -Preparing and presenting oral abstracts at local, regional, and national conferences
Professional Competence (10%):
- - The candidate will be expected to attend symposia and conferences, participate and contribute to departmental and other seminars, journal clubs, and other activities, as applicable.
- The incumbent will present research at regional and appropriate national meetings such as ARVO and AAO. Presentations will be delivered in poster and/or oral format.
University and Public Service (5%):
- Candidate will be expected to mentor undergraduates in the lab, participate and contribute to laboratory and group meetings and other activities, as applicable.
- As a full-time research group member, this position includes responsibility for maintaining safety standards and meeting regulatory requirements, staff training, and mentoring.
Depending on the interest and availability of funds, the Junior Specialist will have opportunities to present research findings to a larger audience at scientific conferences or meetings. The incumbent will also assist the principal investigator in presenting progress reports and final summaries to granting agencies as well as lab meetings with other investigators. The Junior Specialist will mentor undergraduate students from UC Davis. He/She will actively contribute to lab activities through staff meetings and presentations to colleagues and researchers from various scientific communities.
To apply, please visit: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF06152
Please direct questions to Ashley Bellmer at ambellmer@ucdavis.edu.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in biological, bioengineering, or computational sciences, preferably with experience in bioinformatics/genomics, image processing, or computer science. The job also requires a highly motivated, organized, and focused individual who is eager to learn and to take initiative. This is a full-time appointment, with occasional evening or weekend hours expected for management of studies.
Application Requirements
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Cover Letter
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.
- 3-5 required (contact information only)
Help contact: ambellmer@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.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.
For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20
For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination
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.