Lab Operations & Neurobiology Research Assistant

Frontier Perspectives; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Virginia's Connelly Laboratory is seeking a Laboratory Research Operations Assistant to join an interdisciplinary team in Charlottesville, Virginia. This full-time role involves hands-on work in molecular biology, neuroscience, animal behavior, genomics, imaging, and general lab operations, under Professor Jessica Connelly.

You will support small-animal husbandry, tissue collection, DNA/RNA analyses, cell culture, imaging, data management, and manuscript preparation, with

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• At least one year of laboratory experience is required, including undergraduate research experience.
• A bachelor's degree may be accepted in place of the required laboratory experience.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and manage a small-animal breeding colony, including daily animal husbandry.
• Conduct and document behavioral observations and analyses.
• Assist with small-animal surgical procedures.
• Collect, process, and biobank tissue samples.
• Isolate and analyze DNA and RNA from tissues and cells.
• Assist with cell culture and molecular biology experiments.
• Support confocal microscopy and other imaging techniques, including neuroimaging.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and ensure data quality.
• Manage laboratory inventory, reagents, equipment, and supplies.
• Ensure compliance with institutional animal-care and laboratory-safety protocols.
• Train and supervise undergraduate research assistants.
• Support laboratory organization, maintenance, and workflow improvement.
• Contribute to scientific manuscripts, grant preparation, and research presentations.

Skills

Laboratory experience

Animal handling

Behavior analysis

Molecular biology

Neuroscience

DNA/RNA extraction

Cell culture

Imaging

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree may substitute for required lab experience

Job description

The University of Virginia's Connelly Laboratory is seeking a Laboratory Research Operations Assistant to join an interdisciplinary team in Charlottesville, Virginia. This full-time role involves hands-on work in molecular biology, neuroscience, animal behavior, genomics, imaging, and general lab operations, under Professor Jessica Connelly.

You will support small-animal husbandry, tissue collection, DNA/RNA analyses, cell culture, imaging, data management, and manuscript preparation, with