Research Science/Engineering Assistant

utaustin; United States; On-site; USD 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Chemistry is recruiting several research assistant scientists. The role supports organic chemistry, biological sciences, and analytical instrumentation within chemical biology and proteomics.

Open to bachelors and masters with 0–10 years' experience and strong independence in task execution. Responsibilities include lab management, rodent-related work, cell culture, molecular biology, and use of mass spectrometry and chromatography tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in scientific discipline.
• Laboratory experience (1–10 years).
• Maintain a complete and comprehensive laboratory notebook.

Responsibilities

• Assist with routine lab management, ordering, inventory, and equipment maintenance.
• Possibly manage rodent colony and conduct related experiments (immunology, cancer, neuroscience).
• Perform cell isolations/culture, molecular biology, or chemical synthesis as needed; operate lab instruments.

Skills

Lab experience

Mass spectrometry

Biochemistry

Molecular biology

Analytical instrumentation

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in scientific discipline

Tools

Mass spectrometry

NMR

HPLC

Flow cytometry

Job description

Job Posting Title: Research Science/Engineering Assistant ----

Hiring Department: Department of Chemistry ----

Position Open To: All Applicants ----

Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 ----

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt from FLSA ----

Earliest Start Date: Oct 19, 2026 ----

Position Duration: Expected to Continue Until Oct 19, 2027 ----

Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS ----

Job Details:

General Notes

This position requires someone with skills in organic chemistry, biological sciences and/or analytical, mass spectrometry and instrumentation. In the field of chemical biology and proteomics, all of these disciplines play a role and if you have all or any of these skills, we would like to talk to you about joining our team.

Purpose

The laboratory of Dr. Ku-lung (Ken) Hsu in the Department of Chemistry, Division of Chemical Biology and Proteomics at the University of Texas at Austin is recruiting several highly motivated individuals to work as a research scientist, level dependent on previous experience. These positions are intended for bachelors and masters level graduates with 0 to 10 years of experience who are interested in gaining valuable experience and furthering the research goals of the laboratory. You will work closely with the laboratory manager, post-docs and graduate students in the completion of assigned tasks. A high level of independence is required once a task is assigned.

This is a fixed term position and extensions are renewable based upon availability of funding, work performance, and progress toward research goals.

Responsibilities

• Assisting with routine lab management to ensure that lab is in working order. This includes assisting the lab manager with ordering and inventory of supplies and chemicals, disposing of chemicals, laboratory training, and maintain any instrumentation and laboratory equipment you use. The candidate is also expected to participate in regular group meetings and provide updates and progress reports as required.
• Rodent care- Depending on interest and experience you may also be required to perform or assist in managing the rodent colony (compound treatments, xenograft models, genotyping, routine weighing recording animal health, pre and post-operative care, recording experimental procedures). To perform or assist in experiments related to the fields of immunology, cancer, and neuroscience.
• To perform cell isolations/culture and/or molecular biology and/or chemical synthesis and/or operate laboratory instruments and equipment. Depending on your area of experience or interest, this will include molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, biochemistry, flow cytometry or culturing cells. Experiments will involve performing fluorescence gels, protein purification, affinity chromatography, Western blots, ELISAs and other assay work. You may need to operate a centrifuge, gel imager, cell counter as well as automated liquid handlers. As a chemical proteomics laboratory, we also operate several mass spectrometers and you may also need to be trained to use these instruments.
• The scientist with experience or interest in organic synthesis will be expected to use and understand the standard tools and skills including setting up and isolation of pure reaction products and analytical techniques such as flash chromatography (Biotage, CombiFlash or other automated system), NMR and HPLC.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in scientific discipline.
• Laboratory experience (1-10 years)
• Maintain a complete and comprehensive laboratory notebook
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Experience with a minimum of one of the following: chemical proteomics, biochemistry, cell biology, mass spectroscopy, synthetic chemistry, flow cytometry, molecular biology or analytical instrumentation.
• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in more than one of the required qualifications outlined above.
• Proficiency with Excel and other Windows programs (Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
• Proficiency with literature searches and science writing.
• Experience in chemical proteomics and operation of mass spectrometers (1 position) or several years of experience as a synthetic organic chemist (1 position).

Salary Range

$42,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Uniforms and/or personal protection equipment (furnished)
• May work in standard office conditions, extreme temperatures, around chemical fumes, chemicals, biohazards, electrical and mechanical hazards, animals, etc.
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation
• Use of manual dexterity
• Climbing of stairs
• Climbing of ladders
• Lifting and moving

Work Shift

This full-time position, like most research positions, requires working flexible hours which may include weekends, evenings, or early mornings.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Important for applicants who are NO