Lab Technician or Specialist, Bajikar Lab - Cell Biology

University of Virginia; Charlottesville (VA); On-site; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Virginia is seeking a Lab Technician or Specialist to join Dr. Sameer Bajikar's lab focused on neurodevelopmental disorders. The chosen candidate will oversee lab maintenance, perform experimental procedures, and provide support for long-term research projects.

This position requires an Associate’s degree with lab experience, knowledge of PCR and cell culture, and offers a salary range of $19.23-24/hour based on experience. It’s a full-time position in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree and 2+ years of lab experience, or Bachelor's and 1 year of related experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for lab maintenance and ordering supplies.
• Perform experimental procedures including PCR and cell culture.
• Assist in training lab members on procedures.
• Maintain detailed lab notebooks and organize inventory.
• Prepare figures and presentations of results.

Skills

Laboratory maintenance

PCR

Molecular biology

Cell culture

RNA isolation

Experimental support

Mouse handling

Education

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Job description

The Department of Cell Biology, at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, is seeking an eager and self‑motivated Lab Technician or Specialist (level depending on experience) to work in Dr. Sameer Bajikar’s laboratory. The lab is working on several projects related to studying the underlying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders, involving the development and characterization of new cellular and rodent models and tools to study neurodevelopmental disorders. The prospective employee will work closely with the PI and other lab members to complete experiments in support of the ongoing, long‑term research projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for laboratory maintenance and upkeep, including ordering, stocking, and organizing supplies, preparing stock solutions, maintaining equipment, and assisting the PI with environmental health and safety compliance.
• Perform experimental procedures based on objectives and designs by Dr. Bajikar, including, but not limited to, PCR, molecular biology/recombinant DNA, cell culture, protein and RNA isolation, quantitative RT‑PCR, immunoblotting, mouse colony maintenance, and mouse handling and experimentation.
• Provide experimental support for larger scale ongoing, long‑term experiments led by other lab members.
• Assist in training other lab members on experimental and lab procedures.
• Maintain and organize detailed lab notebooks, tabulated experimental results, and reagent inventory.
• Prepare summary figures and presentations of results.
• Attend and participate in lab meetings.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• Associate’s degree and 2+ years of lab experience which may include student experience; Bachelor’s and 1 year of related lab experience preferred.

Anticipated Salary Range: $19.23-24/hour, commensurate with education and experience.

This position will not sponsor applicants already in the US for work visas.

This is a restricted position; continuation is dependent on funding and satisfactory performance.

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia. This is a full‑time benefited position. For more information on the benefits at UVA, visit www.hr.virginia.edu/benefits.

The University will perform background checks on all new hires prior to employment. A completed health screen is required for this position.

Physical Demands

This position can spend extensive periods of time standing and squatting while conducting experiments or caring for animals. Also requires keyboarding and other benchwork and animal procedures requiring fine finger manipulation.

Application Process: Please apply online, and search for R0084211. Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website. Complete an application online with the following documents: CV/Resume, Cover Letter. Upload all materials into the resume submission field; multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.

References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three are required.

For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Jessica Speth, Academic Recruiter, [e-mail].

The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non‑discrimination and equal opportunity employment.