Research Assistant 1

Vanderbilt University Medical Center; Vaughan; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading medical research facility is seeking a dedicated Research Assistant to support research projects related to eye development. This role involves conducting experiments, analyzing data, and collaborating with team members. A Bachelor's Degree and a commitment of at least 2 years are required. Candidates with significant lab experience in chemistry or biochemistry will be preferred. The position offers a full-time employment opportunity with varied shifts.

Qualifications

• Minimum commitment of 2 years required.
• Strong background in chemistry or biochemistry preferred.
• Significant prior lab experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide support for specified research projects.
• Conduct complex experiments and analyze data.
• Maintain laboratory inventory and supplies.

Skills

Analytical skills

Team collaboration

Laboratory skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent)

Tools

RNA-seq

Histology

Immunohistochemistry

Job description

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Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center : Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization :

Vanderbilt Eye Institute

Job Summary : Job Summary

Provide, under direct supervision, support for specified research projects; collect, assess, and communicate data / results. Assist in general laboratory operation and inventory.

Shift Hours :

Varied Shift; Weekend or after-hours work may be required, as needed

Your Role : Research Focus :

The Fuhrmann Laboratory investigates the regulation of early eye development as well as endogenous repair of tissues in the mature eye. Congenital ocular malformations are prevalent in ~1 in 3-4,000 individuals and are the cause for over 25% of childhood blindness worldwide. Highly relevant also is our research with respect to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the top cause for blindness in the elderly population. Therefore, it is vitally important to understand how ocular development and regeneration in the aging eye is regulated. We use mouse as a model system to examine to genes regulating morphogenesis, differentiation and regeneration of ocular tissues. Techniques used in the lab are temporally controlled and tissue-specific gene inactivation, RNA-seq, histology, immunohistochemistry, confocal, widefield and high-resolution imaging, and culture approaches (among others). The position requires participation in maintenance of our mouse colony and working with mice as experimental model system is required.

We are looking forward to working with a highly motivated individual who is eager to collaborate with other team members in the lab and who exhibits a high level of professionalism, dedication, reliability, and intellectual curiosity. Applicants with a strong background in chemistry or biochemistry and significant prior lab experience are preferred. A minimum commitment of 2 years is required for this position.

Key Functions and Expected Performances :

Under minimal supervision, plan and conduct complex experiments, analyze data, prepare reports, and archive data.

• Plan and coordinate experiments in conjunction with Principal Investigator (PI).
• Process and analyze data demonstrating keen analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Understand and follow experimental protocols and competently perform any required assays (may include animal handling, tissue culture, etc.)
• Accurately record / document, compile, organize, and communicate data / results.
• Follow University safety protocols (may include use of toxic and hazardous materials, and / or carcinogens).
• Perform calculations involving molarity, % solutions, and serial dilutions.
• Perform data analysis and create graphs / reports.
• Operate and maintain equipment, and, troubleshoot equipment malfunctions throughout the execution of all research projects associated with the lab.
• Recommend equipment and supplies needed for research projects.
• Familiarize with equipment operations and manuals.
• Set up, maintain, troubleshoot and arrange to repair equipment according to manufacturer and Vanderbilt University guidelines.

Ensure laboratory is prepared for experiments. Procure, organize and prepare lab supplies needed to complete the work. Maintain inventories. Maintain sterile conditions as required. Prepare reagents. Assist PI in modifying procedures and techniques. Recognize problems and suggest solutions, assist in modifications. Recommend improvements to established techniques and / or protocols (troubleshooting).

Maintain personal knowledge of scientific trends through literature reviews. Provide appropriate written / oral documentation of experiments. Effectively communicate in oral and written formats.

Prepare research progress reports.

Analyze, interpret, and summarize test results.

Assist in the effective operation of the laboratory.

Train other employees.

Supervise projects and / or personnel.

Serve as a liaison to other Vanderbilt Medical School Departments, Divisions and core facilities such as : Division of Animal Care (DAC), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Vanderbilt Environmental Health and Safety (VEHS) etc, to ensure compliance of laboratory practices and procedures with University, local and federal rules and regulations.

Preferred Education, Skills, and Experiences :

Experience in an academic research lab.

Preference will be given to candidates with a demonstrated ability to communicate research findings through publication in high impact, peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national meetings.

Preference will be given to individuals who want to establish themselves in a stable long employment relationship with the laboratory and who are interested in continued professional development.

Laboratory skills that are sought include :

Breeding mice and working with animal models of human disease.

Histology : cryo-sectioning, immunohistochemistry, imaging.

Cellular and molecular biology : transfections, qRT-PCR, genotyping.

Cell / Tissue cultures : cell cultures and in-vitro cell assays.

Assays using pathway modulators (inhibitors / activators).

Examples of lab assays

In-vivo :

Mouse colony management (breeding and genotyping mice)

Mouse models of congenital ocular disease

Qualifications - External

Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent experience) and 1 year significant bench work experience

Physical Requirements / Strengths needed & Physical Demands :

Movement

Occasional : Sitting : Remaining in seated position

Occasional : Standing : Remaining on one's feet without moving.

Occasional : Walking : Moving about on foot.

Occasional : Lifting under 35 lbs : Raising and lowering objects under 35 lbs from one level to another

Occasional : Push / Pull : Exerting force to move objects away from or toward.

Occasional : Bending / Stooping : Trunk bending downward and forward by bending spine at waist requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles

Occasional : Crawling : Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.

Occasional : Reaching below shoulders : Extending arms in any direction below shoulders.

Occasional : Handling : Seizing, holding, grasping, turning or otherwise working with hand or hands.

Sensory

Occasional : Vision : Clarity of near vision at 20 inches or less and far vision at 20 feet or more with depth perception, peripheral vision, color vision.

Occasional : Noise : May include exposure to occupational noise levels which equal or exceed an 8-hr time-weighted average of 85 decibels, requiring enrollment in VUMC's Hearing Conservation Program which includes training, use of hearing protection, and periodic audiometry.

Continuous : Communication : Expressing or exchanging written / verbal / electronic information.

Environmental Conditions

Occasional : Chemicals and Gasses : Medications, cleaning chemicals, oxygen, other medical gases used in work area.

Occasional : Pathogens : Risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other contagious illnesses.

Occasional : Radiation : May be exposed to occupational radiation, requiring enrollment in VUMC's Radiation Safety Program which includes training, use of personal protective equipment with lead shielding, and personal dose monitoring.

Occasional : Climate : Ability to withstand exposure to atmospheric extremes including heat, cold, humidity, and barometric pressure changes.

Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.

World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.

Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions, the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff.

Core Accountabilities :

Organizational Impact : Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area / team with some guidance. Problem Solving / Complexity of work : Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge : Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction : Individually contributes to project / work teams.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues : - Develops Self and Others : Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships : Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas. - Communicates Effectively : Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services : - Serves Others with Compassion : Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service. - Solves Complex Problems : Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support : Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality : - Performs Excellent Work : Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.- Ensures Continuous Improvement : Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements : Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively : - Demonstrates Accountability : Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work / service. - Stewards Organizational Resources : Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions : Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation : - Generates New Ideas : Willingly proposes / accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.- Applies Technology : Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change : Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.

Position Qualifications :

Responsibilities :

Certifications :

Work Experience :

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level : Less than 1 year

Education : Bachelor's

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE / Vets / Disabled.

Seniority level

Seniority level

Entry level

Employment type

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Job function

Health Care Provider, Education, and Research

Industries

Medical Practices and Hospitals

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