Research Assistant

Beth Israel Lahey Health; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 21,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Beth Israel Lahey Health is seeking an entry-level Research Assistant for the Kostic Laboratory. You will perform bench experiments spanning bacterial culture, cellular immunology, and animal studies, with accurate documentation of work.

Responsibilities include culture under anaerobic conditions, EV purification and characterization, immune cell culture, and immunoassays such as ELISA and flow cytometry, alongside in vivo mouse work and data analysis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, or related field.
• Entry level with hands-on laboratory research experience.
• Preferred: mouse handling, flow cytometry, cell culture, ELISA, anaerobic culture, EV characterization, chromatography, PCR/Western blot.
• Demonstrated reliability, organization, and attention to detail, with clear documentation.

Responsibilities

• Culture bacterial strains under anaerobic conditions and purify extracellular vesicles (EVs) by tangential-flow filtration and SEC.
• Characterize EVs by NTA, electron microscopy, and endotoxin testing; prepare samples for mass spectrometry.
• Culture mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
• Perform cytokine ELISAs and multicolor flow cytometry to assess immune responses.
• Support in vivo mouse studies with gavage dosing and weekly glucose monitoring; maintain accurate records.
• Harvest tissues for immunophenotyping and assist with flow cytometry and histology.
• Ensure compliance with IACUC and safety regulations; work with PBMCs from healthy and Type 1 diabetes donors.
• Maintain electronic lab notebook, organize reagents, manage inventory, and maintain equipment.
• Analyze and summarize data using FlowJo and GraphPad Prism; perform routine data analyses in R or Python.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Lab techniques

Flow cytometry

Cell culture

ELISA

Mouse handling

Data recording

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology/related field

Tools

FlowJo

GraphPad Prism

R

Python

Job description

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.The Research Assistant is a full-time, on-site laboratory position in the Kostic Laboratory, which studies how gut bacteria and bacterially derived extracellular vesicles influence the immune system in type 1 diabetes. The Research Assistant performs bench experiments spanning bacterial culture, cellular immunology, and animal studies, and is responsible for the accurate execution and documentation of that experimental work.

Responsibilities

• Culture bacterial strains, including under anaerobic conditions, and purify bacterial extracellular vesicles (EVs) by tangential-flow filtration and size-exclusion chromatography.
• Characterize purified EVs by nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy, and endotoxin (LAL) testing, and prepare samples for mass spectrometry.
• Culture primary immune cells, including mouse bone marrow-derived dendritic cells and human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.
• Perform functional immunology assays, including cytokine ELISAs and multicolor flow cytometry, to measure immune and regulatory T cell responses.
• Support in vivo mouse studies, including scheduled dosing by oral gavage, weekly blood glucose monitoring, and accurate record-keeping across the full course of long-running studies.
• Harvest and process tissues, including spleen and pancreatic lymph nodes, for immunophenotyping, and assist with downstream flow cytometry and histology.
• Conduct all animal work in strict compliance with approved IACUC protocols and applicable institutional safety and regulatory requirements.
• Process human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy donors and donors with type 1 diabetes and perform cell-based assays in human samples.
• Maintain meticulous, contemporaneous records in an electronic laboratory notebook.
• Prepare reagents and buffers, manage sample inventory, and help maintain shared laboratory equipment.
• Organize, analyze, and summarize experimental data using standard analysis software (e.g., FlowJo, GraphPad Prism).
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in biology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, or a related scientific field, or equivalent knowledge and experience.
• Entry level.
• Prior hands-on laboratory research experience is required, which may include undergraduate research, a thesis project, a post-baccalaureate research program, or a previous laboratory position.
• Preferred: prior mouse-handling experience (oral gavage, injections, blood collection, dissection); experience with flow cytometry, cell or tissue culture and sterile technique, or ELISA; exposure to anaerobic bacterial culture, extracellular vesicle or nanoparticle characterization (NTA, electron microscopy), chromatography (FPLC/SEC), or standard molecular biology (PCR, Western blot).
• Demonstrated reliability, organization, and attention to detail, including a track record of taking ownership of assigned work and consistently meeting deadlines.
• Accurate, thorough record-keeping and clear written and verbal communication.
• Ability to work independently following training, and to work collaboratively within a small research team.
• Ability and willingness to work with mice, human blood samples, and biohazardous materials; training is provided.
• Preferred: familiarity with data-analysis tools such as FlowJo, GraphPad Prism, R, or Python.

Pay Range

$15.00 - $24.00The pay range listed for this position is the base hourly wage range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law. Compensation may exceed the base hourly rate depending on shift differentials, call pay, premium pay, overtime pay, and other additional pay practices, as applicable to the position and in accordance with the law.

As a health care organization, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power to care for and protect our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Beth Israel Lahey Health requires that all staff be vaccinated against influenza (flu) as a condition of employment.

More than 35,000 people working together. Nurses, doctors, technicians, therapists, researchers, teachers and more, making a difference in patients' lives. Your skill and compassion can make us even stronger.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled