Research Technician - Infectious Disease and Global Health

Tufts University; Grafton (MA); On-site; USD 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine in Grafton, MA seeks an assistant to support infectious disease research focused on tickborne pathogens. You will work under the supervision of principal investigators to conduct phylogenomics and transcriptomics analyses, manipulate ticks and bacteria, and help with health monitoring of animals.

The role includes data analysis, manuscript prep, data archiving, and routine lab maintenance, with a Monday–Friday schedule and occasional weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in chemical, biological, or physical sciences.
• Experience working in a research laboratory.

Responsibilities

• Assist in experiments using phylogenomics and transcriptomics to study tickborne pathogens.
• Support health monitoring and husbandry of ticks and laboratory animals.
• Assist with data analysis, manuscript preparation, and archiving results.
• Contribute to general laboratory maintenance and safety procedures.
• Prepare solutions and manage lab supplies; dispose of hazardous waste.
• Participate in routine necropsy and infection work under supervision.

Skills

Laboratory experience

Bioinformatics

Data analysis

Literature review

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in chemical, biological, or physical sciences

Tools

SPSS

R

Python

Bioinformatics tools

Job description

Overview

The Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health combines four important areas of expertise within Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. These are public/population health, international medicine, wildlife and conservation medicine and infectious disease research. The alignment of these areas promotes cross-disciplinary strengths that are important in achieving the department's goal of improving human, animal and ecosystem health locally, nationally and internationally. Research in the Department aims to advance understanding of the biology and host interaction of pathogens, particularly those causing tickborne diseases, and to use this information to develop new treatments and prevention.

What You’ll Do

Under the direction and guidance of Principal Investigator and senior research scientists, the incumbent will assist in a wide range of experiments using phylogenomics and transcriptomics to analyze the evolution of tickborne pathogens and genetically manipulating ticks and Lyme disease bacteria to study vector-pathogen-host interactions. The incumbent will also assist with the health monitoring and husbandry of ticks and the health of laboratory animals, including wild and domestic birds and rodents, animal necropsy, and animal infection. The incumbent is expected to assist with analyzing data, manuscript preparation, presenting and archiving data arising from those experiments; and contributing to general laboratory maintenance. Other related duties as assigned.

• Test the efficiency of Lyme disease bacterial infection in wild- and domestic birds and rodents using ticks carrying Lyme disease bacteria.
• Phylogenomic and transcriptomic analysis of bacterial, tick, and animal host determinants to contribute to vector-pathogen-host interactions.
• Genetically manipulate bacteria and ticks to investigate the role of vector and bacterial determinants in contributing vector-pathogen-host interactions.
• Tick and animal colony maintenance and husbandry
• Analyzing data, manuscript preparation, presenting archiving data arising from the experiments
• General lab maintenance; restocking lab supplies, ordering supplies, organization and maintenance including glassware cleaning, disposal of hazardous and biohazardous waste, autoclaving; minor equipment maintenance; preparing solutions.

The schedule for this position is anticipated to M-F 9AM-5PM, with occasional weekends

Basic Requirements

Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Bachelor’s Degree in chemical, biological, or physical sciences
• Have previous experience working in a research laboratory

Preferred Qualifications

• Having prior experience working on an independent research project in a research laboratory
• Prior experience in working on laboratory model or with wildlife animals in the laboratory or field setting.
• Prior experience in working on infectious agents in a Biosafety Level 2 environment.
• Prior course preference: Have taken the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, and/or Immunology courses
• Computer skills: Bioinformatic tools for Evolutionary analysis or transcriptomics analysis, or statistic or script writing Software such as SPSS, R, and Python.

Pay Range

Minimum $20.90, Midpoint $24.90, Maximum $28.90

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.