Research Lab Technician II - Data Analysis

USC University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

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

The role involves performing molecular, cellular, and in vivo experiments and assisting with day-to-day lab operations. Responsibilities include processing NGS data, downstream analyses, data mining from public omics resources, and maintaining analysis pipelines.

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.

Responsibilities

• Process and run quality control on next-generation sequencing data using established pipelines.
• Perform downstream analyses including differential expression, variant calling, and pathway enrichment.
• Analyze data from high-throughput drug screens, flow cytometry, and preclinical mouse studies; perform basic statistical analyses.
• Mine public omics resources to support target discovery and validation.
• Maintain 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.

Skills

Laboratory techniques

Molecular biology

Teamwork

Data analysis

IRB/data security

Education

Bachelor's degree in biology or related field

Master’s degree or 1-2 years of research laboratory experience

Tools

Flow cytometry

NGS sample preparation

R

Python

GraphPad Prism

High-throughput assays

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

• Master’s degree or 1-2 years of research laboratory experience
• Experience with flow cytometry, NGS sample preparation, or high-throughput assays
• Experience with mouse handling and in vivo studies
• Familiarity with basic data analysis tools (e.g., R, Python, GraphPad Prism) or interest in learning bioinformatics
• Background in cancer biology or hematologic malignancies

The hourly rate range for this position is $25.71 - $28.32.

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.

USC is an equal opportunity employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy.

USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law.

USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety.

Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.

We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at [phone], or by email at [e-mail].

Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.

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USC is a leading private research university located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles - a global center for arts, technology and international business. As the largest private employer in the city - responsible for more than $5 billion annually in economic activity in the region - we offer the opportunity to work in a dynamic and diverse environment, in careers that span a broad spectrum of talents and skills.

As a USC employee, you will enjoy excellent benefits and perks, and you will be a member of the Trojan Family - the faculty, staff, students and alumni who make USC a great place to work.