Laboratory Research Assistant

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical and dental insurance

Tuition subsidy for employees and family

Generous paid time off plans

Job summary

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc. is looking for a dedicated lab technician to join a multi-disciplinary team. The technician will work on projects evaluating antimicrobial resistant bacteria in coprophagous flies, conducting both field and lab studies.

Candidates need a high school diploma (equivalent seen as valuable) and may benefit from a bachelor's degree in a related field. The position emphasizes written communication and maintaining professionalism, and it includes opportunities for research in environmental health microbiology.

Qualifications

• Education beyond high school level may substitute for work experience.
• Experience with culture-based methods and quantitative data analysis is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a colony of blow flies and conduct controlled feeding studies.
• Lead lab and field studies and collaborate with graduate students.
• Analyze data and contribute to peer-reviewed publications.

Skills

Written and verbal communication skills

Time management

Professionalism

Attention to detail

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Tools

Molecular microbiology methods

Laboratory equipment

Job description

Department

ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL (BL-ENVR-IUBLA)

Department Information

Located on the flagship campus of the Indiana University System, IU School of Public Health-Bloomington has over 200 faculty in 5 departments. Indiana University is classified as an R1-Highest Research Activity university and is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) and boasts numerous resources. IU School of Public Health-Bloomington combines aspects of a traditional university campus with a strong teaching focus and the research infrastructure of a research-intensive institution.

Dr. Drew Capone's research group within the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health has broad interests in environmental health microbiology. Current projects include public health surveillance using fecal waste streams, microbial fate and transport, the role of infrastructure in interrupting enteric pathogen transmission, and predicting public health outcomes using quantitative microbial risk assessment. Lab members conduct field research in Mozambique and Indiana, as well as wet lab work in Bloomington, Indiana. We use tools from engineering, epidemiology, and environmental health microbiology to investigate the problems affecting low‑income individuals and aim to improve public health in the communities where these people live.

Job Summary

Under the direction of Dr. Drew Capone, the lab technician will join a multi-disciplinary team of microbiologists, virologists, environmental engineers, entomologists, biologists, and epidemiologists to work on a unique set of projects. The primary focus will be evaluating the persistence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria carried by coprophagous flies.

Department‑Specific Responsibilities

• Responsible for maintaining a colony of blow flies, conducting controlled feeding studies of blow flies, as well as culture‑based analysis of antibiotic‑resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) carried by coprophagous flies.
• Leads laboratory and field studies, collaborates with graduate students and postdocs, and generates new knowledge that is congruent with the overall goals of the laboratory.
• Designs experiments, analyzes data, and contributes to peer‑reviewed publications.

General Responsibilities

• Cleans and maintains laboratory equipment.
• Monitors and inventories laboratory supply levels.
• Assists with and performs routine laboratory procedures and preparations.
• Maintains regulatory paperwork.
• Moves and relocates sensitive equipment as needed.
• May participate in the disposal of biological or radioactive waste.

Qualifications

Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

Education

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent (such as HSED or GED)

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in public health, environmental health, environmental engineering, biology, microbiology, entomology, or a related field

Work Experience

Preferred

• Experience with culture‑based methods, molecular microbiology methods (e.g., nucleic acid extraction, qPCR, dPCR), and quantitative data analysis
• Fieldwork experience or an interest in international fieldwork

Skills

Required

• Proficient written and verbal communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality

Preferred

• Strong written and oral communication skills, as well as organizational skills and attention to detail
• Interest in gaining experience in environmental health microbiology
• Spanish or Portuguese language skills

Working Conditions / Demands

The role regularly requires the ability to effectively communicate. The role frequently requires the ability to move about the work environment and to position oneself to operate laboratory equipment effectively. The role requires the ability to move objects weighing up to 25 pounds and will occasionally work near moving mechanical parts. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.

Additional Information

This is a USDA grant‑funded position. Two years of funding are available, and the position is potentially renewable after the first year depending on performance and funding availability. Resources are available for travel to scientific meetings, and formal training is available with regards to academic writing, research ethics, rigor and reproducibility, and research management. There will also be opportunities to develop independent research interests, write scientific manuscripts, and to gain expertise in environmental health microbiology, data analysis, project management, and academic writing.

There may be an opportunity for field work in Maputo, Mozambique as part of the PARAR (Patógenos, meio Ambiente, Resistência Antimicrobiana e águas Residuais) Study. Additional opportunities may include work on domestic and international projects such as:

• QUEST (Quelimane Urban Environmental Sanitation Transformation) in Quelimane, Mozambique
• The DigIndy Study, which investigates the environmental and public health impacts of a combined sewer overflow intervention in Indianapolis.

Work Location

IU School of Public Health

Bloomington, Indiana

Benefits Overview

For full‑time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long‑term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU‑sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Job Classification

Career Level: Foundational

FLSA: Nonexempt

Job Function: Research

Job Family: Laboratory Research

Equal Employment Opportunity

Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.

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