Junior Specialist (75% Time) - Soulika Lab

University of California - Davis; Sacramento (CA); On-site; USD 57,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California - Davis in Sacramento, CA is seeking a 75% research-focused position in the Department of Dermatology to support Dr. Athena Soulika’s wound healing program. The role involves molecular biology, tissue processing, and collaboration across immunology and engineering teams.

The candidate will gain experience with in vitro/in vivo models, manuscript preparation, and potential clinical translation opportunities, with opportunities for conferences and mentorship.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biological, bioengineering, or molecular biological sciences.
• Highly motivated, organized, and proactive.
• Full-time appointment with occasional evenings/weekends for study management.
• Experience with mammalian DNA/RNA extractions and PCR/qPCR.

Responsibilities

• Prepare samples for microbiome analysis and standard microbiological techniques.
• Perform prokaryotic/eukaryotic cell culture and PCR/qPCR on tissues.
• Embed, section, and stain tissues; assist with animal wound surgeries.
• Collect data for manuscripts and assist with methods sections.

Skills

PCR/qPCR techniques

Histology

Image analysis

DNA/RNA extraction

Education

Bachelor's degree in biological sciences

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

HPLC

Job description

Position overview

Salary range: Non-exempt: $27.30 per hour (Step 1) or $29.08 per hour (Step 2)

Exempt: $57,000 per year (Step 1) or $60,700 per year (Step 2)

Application Window

Open date: November 10, 2026

Next review date: Wednesday, Nov 25, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Thursday, Dec 31, 2026 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

POSITION DESCRIPTION

This 75% position provides technical, scientific and organizational assistance to PI Dr. Athena Soulika's research program in the Department of Dermatology, which focuses on tissue repair and regeneration, and wound healing by generating novel therapies to improve healing using in vitro and in vivo animal models. As such, the successful candidate will be exposed to generating novel technologies that can be translated to the care of patiets with non-healing ulcers. The research is designed to better understand the biology of healing and how it can be accelerated. This project collaborates with faculty in immunology and animal science at UC Davis, and with engineering and computer scientists at UC Santa Cruz.

Major Responsibilities and Areas of Expertise

Under the direction of the PI, the candidate's responsibilities are a significant and essential part of publishable research activities. The candidate will assist the PI's funded studies of biophysical control of wound healing, with responsibilities that include preparation of samples for microbiome analysis, standard microbiological techniques, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell culture, molecular biology techniques such as PCR and qPCR. Other responsibilities include preparation of tissues for histological and immunohistological examination, assisting with animal wound surgery. The candidate will work with the project team to collect data for manuscript preparation, review, and submission. The candidate's significant and meaningful contributions described above will lead to authorship or acknowledgement on published work. Candidates interested in human translation can be invited to join the PI's clinical research team and contribute to ongoing patient-centered studies.

Research (90%)

• Planning, performance and interpretation of PCR and qPCR on animal and human tissues.
• Embedding, sectioning and staining of animal and human tissues, and morphometric analysis of healing using computer assistance programs.
• Assisting as needed with animal surgeries, on small and large animal models.
• Create and manage a database of needed information, communicate with PI or team members to maintain and update inventory and order supplies, maintain computers, files, and programs with appropriate backup for all computers under supervision, development/revision of appropriate standard operating procedure (SOP) as needed.
• Maintaining meticulous documentation of experimental work.
• Contribute to scholarly manuscripts through reviewing and commenting on draft manuscripts, conducting literature searches, data collection, and helping to write methods sections
• Contribute original ideas for further investigation.
• Collect, organize, and summarize laboratory data. Evaluate data and prepare tables and graphs for publication. Calculate statistics as needed using SAS and/or Excel.
• Provide summary information for reports and sections of publications and presentations.
• Contribute to routine laboratory upkeep as directed by laboratory manager.
• Reading and interpreting the relevant literature, presenting summaries at lab meetings.

Professional Competence and Activity (5% EFFORT)

• The candidate will have the potential to attend various scholarly conferences, such as the funding agency's quarterly reviews, and national meetings of the Wound Healing Society.
• The candidate will collaborate with researchers in the lab and will help to produce data presented at conferences.

University and Public Service (5% EFFORT)

• Candidate may participate in activities of committees within the department, college, campus and other University entities, as appropriate.
• Candidate will be expected to mentor undergraduates in the lab, participate and contribute to laboratory and group meetings and other activities, as applicable

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

• The qualified candidate will have a Bachelor's degree in biological, bioengineering, or molecular biological sciences, preferably with experience in molecular techniques, histologic and image processing.
• 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.
• Experience in mammalian DNA/ RNA extractions and PCR and quantitative real-time PCR.

Additional qualifications

• The job 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.
• Experience in mammalian DNA/ RNA extractions and PCR and quantitative real-time PCR.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience in basic laboratory practices including sterile technique, serial dilutions, plating, pipetting, etc.
• Experience with aseptic and anaerobic technique
• Experience with maintaining laboratory supply and reagent inventory
• Familiarity with standard software (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with operating liquid chromatographs (HPLC) and analyze HPLC data
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Knowledge of platingmethods for propagation, enumeration and isolation of bacterial species
• Species identification by the analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences
• Experience with handling large animals (i.e. pigs)
• Comfortable working with biological human and animal samples.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Authorization to Release Information Form - This form is required for all applicants applying to academic recruitments. Please see the Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage for more information. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form.

Reference requirements

• 3-4 required (contact information only)

Help contact: [e-mail]

About UC Davis

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affinitive Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, "Authorization to Release Information" into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity 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 status under state or federal law.

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.

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all employees and students. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service are embodied by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values. A variety of resources and programs are available to academics, staff, and students that reflect the core values reflected in 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.

UC Davis is also a national leader in inclusive practice. There are numerous links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our administration, campus rankings, locations, campus safety, sustainability, visiting UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

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.

The University of California and UC Davis are committed to offering a wide variety of benefits for employees. The University of California Employee benefits and UC Davis New Employee benefits webpages have additional information.

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.

Job location

Sacramento, CA