Research Lab Technician II - Data Analysis

University of Southern California; Glendale (CA); On-site; USD 36,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Southern California Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences invites applications for a Research Lab Technician II to support studies in immunogenomics, cancer genomics, and therapeutics.

The role covers molecular, cellular, and in vivo experiments and daily lab operations. Responsibilities include processing sequencing data, downstream analyses, and maintaining pipelines, with emphasis on rigor, data security, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, or a related field.
• Hands-on laboratory experience with routine molecular biology and cell culture techniques.
• Excellent organizational, record-keeping, and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• 1-2 years of bioinformatics or research data experience.
• Experience with NGS analysis tools (STAR, DESeq2, GATK, Seurat, Bioconductor).
• Experience with HPC/cluster computing (SLURM) and workflow managers (Snakemake/Nextflow).
• Experience with Git and reproducible analysis practices.

Responsibilities

• Process and run QC on sequencing data using established pipelines.
• Perform downstream analyses: differential expression, variant calling and annotation, pathway enrichment, clustering.
• Analyze data from high-throughput drug screens, flow cytometry, and preclinical mouse studies.
• Mine public omics resources (TCGA, BeatAML, GEO, DepMap) to support target discovery.
• Maintain and update analysis pipelines and scripts with version control.
• Organize lab datasets, metadata, and clinical annotations per IRB and data security.
• Run jobs on USC's HPC cluster and manage data storage.
• Prepare figures, tables, and summaries for meetings, presentations, and manuscripts.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

Cell culture

Data analysis

Independent work

Team collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology or related field

1-2 years bioinformatics/research data experience

Tools

STAR

DESeq2

GATK

Seurat

Bioconductor packages

SLURM

Snakemake/Nextflow

Git

Job description

The USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Titus Family Department of Clinical Pharmacy, is seeking a Research Lab Technician II to support ongoing studies in immunogenomics, cancer genomics and therapeutics.

We are a translational genomics and experimental therapeutics lab focused on identifying and investigating novel therapeutic targets in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and developing new therapeutic strategies. We seek a highly motivated, detail-oriented individual to perform molecular, cellular, and in vivo experiments and support the day-to-day operation of the laboratory.

Responsibilities

• Process and run quality control on next-generation sequencing data (e.g., RNA-seq, whole-exome/genome sequencing, ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, single-cell sequencing) using established pipelines
• Perform downstream analyses, including differential expression, variant calling and annotation, pathway enrichment, and clustering, under the guidance of the Principal Investigator and senior lab members
• Analyze data from high-throughput drug screens, flow cytometry, and preclinical mouse studies; perform basic statistical analyses
• Mine public 'omics' resources (e.g., TCGA, BeatAML, GEO, DepMap) to support target discovery and validation
• Maintain, document, and update analysis pipelines and scripts using version control
• Organize and manage lab datasets, sample metadata, and clinical annotations in compliance with IRB and data security requirements
• Run jobs on USC's high-performance computing cluster and manage data storage
• Prepare figures, tables, and summaries of results for lab meetings, presentations, and manuscripts

Minimum Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, or a related field
• Hands-on laboratory experience with routine molecular biology and cell culture techniques
• Excellent organizational, record-keeping, and communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team

Preferred Qualifications

• 1-2 years of experience in a bioinformatics or research data role
• Hands-on experience with NGS analysis tools (e.g., STAR, DESeq2, GATK, Seurat, Bioconductor packages)
• Experience with HPC/cluster computing (e.g., SLURM) and workflow managers (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow)
• Experience with Git and reproducible analysis practices
• Background in cancer biology, immunology, or hematologic malignancies

Applicants should attach the following:

• Cover letter describing research experience and interests
• Resume or CV
• Link a code portfolio (e.g., GitHub), if available
• Names and contact information for two to three references

The hourly rate range for this position is $26.14 - $28.67.When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Minimum Education: Associate's degree, Specialized/technical training, Combined experience/education as substitute for minimum education

Minimum Experience: 2 years

Minimum Field of Expertise: Working knowledge of laboratory equipment and research protocols. Knowledge of computer analysis techniques and ability to provide routine analysis and interpretation of research data.