Research Technician – Tickborne Pathogen Genomics & Lab Work

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

Job summary

Tufts University’s Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine seeks a laboratory-based researcher to assist in a range of experiments analyzing the evolution of tickborne pathogens. You will help with phylogenomics, transcriptomics, and genetic manipulation of ticks and Lyme disease bacteria to study vector-pathogen-host interactions.

The role includes health monitoring and husbandry of ticks and laboratory animals, data analysis, manuscript

Qualifications

• Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:
• Bachelor's Degree in chemical, biological, or physical sciences
• Have previous experience working in a research laboratory
• 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Lab experience

Data analysis

Independent project

Education

Bachelor's Degree in chemical/biological/physical sciences

Tools

Bioinformatic tools

SPSS

R

Python

Job description

Tufts University’s Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine seeks a laboratory-based researcher to assist in a range of experiments analyzing the evolution of tickborne pathogens. You will help with phylogenomics, transcriptomics, and genetic manipulation of ticks and Lyme disease bacteria to study vector-pathogen-host interactions.

The role includes health monitoring and husbandry of ticks and laboratory animals, data analysis, manuscript