Biorepository Technician 1

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

14d•$20 - $29•Onsite

About The Position

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham. The goal of the NEALS Biorepository is to provide infrastructure to collect, store, and share biofluids (blood, spinal fluid, urine, fibroblasts, DNA, and RNA) and the accompanying clinical data with ALS researchers locally and globally. The Neurological Clinical Research Institute at MGH (MGH NCRI) maintains and continuously improves the infrastructure, coordination, operating procedures, and activities of the NEALS biorepository to provide consistent sample receipt, access, and usage, and continued benefits in the form of scientific discovery and support for ALS translational and clinical research. Working as a part of the Coordinating Center at the Neurological Clinical Research Institute (NCRI) and as a member of the biorepository team on the site level, the incumbent will be responsible for supporting site research and coordinating center tasks associated with the collection, storage, and distribution of specimens from single and multi-site research studies, which are stored within the biorepository. Duties include but are not limited to routine processing of blood, urine, and CSF, isolation of plasma and serum, receipt of specimens from external sites, distribution of specimens for approved research, maintaining processing room supplies and equipment, freezer maintenance, general specimen management, and project tracking. The incumbent will also be responsible for administrative support of the biorepository, including coordination of the regulatory and administrative requirements of the ALS Repository (Living Library) biobanking protocol. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Relevant activities include, but are not limited to the following: Working under the supervision of the Biorepository Manager and the Biorepository Specialist, the successful applicant will perform various routine procedures following established methodologies. Responsibilities include:

Requirements

Must have interpersonal skills to interact effectively with colleagues from varied backgrounds, MDs, researchers, and other team members.
Must have careful attention to detail and good organizational skills. Ability to identify potential problems and troubleshoot solutions. Motivated.
Must possess integrity to maintain confidentiality and respect for subjects’ rights and individual needs.
Must demonstrate accuracy in recording data.
Must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Some basic computer literacy. Use of the Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel, and electronic data capture databases, preferred.
Bachelor's Degree Related Field of Study required
Prior laboratory experience, either through academic coursework, internships, or employment 1-2 years preferred
Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of laboratory techniques and procedures.
Familiarity with common laboratory equipment and instruments used in research experiments.
Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and scientific software tools.
Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively.
Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot technical issues.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey experimental procedures, results, and challenges.

Responsibilities

Adheres to the biorepository's quality assurance procedures, including documenting all: a. quality control activities; b. instrument and equipment verifications; c. maintenance and preventive maintenance.
Identifies and documents problems that may adversely affect specimen management and notifies the supervisor and or biorepository manager
Document all corrective actions taken when specimen management procedures deviate from the biorepository's established processes or requirements.
Monitoring and maintaining supplies associated with specimen collection, storage, and management under the biorepository’s purview.
Corresponds with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for protocol approval, study continuation, annual reporting of studies, and submission of amendments.
Supports the research activities of the center associated with the processing and management of samples collected in research studies.
Maintains records and databases.
Accession routine patient specimens.
Accurately enters information from source documents and manifests into the computer following study-specific work instructions.
Printing labels and affixing bar-coded labels to tubes and related documents.
Managing inventory-related issues.
Maintaining freezer temperature logs.
Record keeping of equipment service, calibration, and preventative maintenance.
Scheduling routine maintenance of biorepository equipment, including freezers, pipettes, and centrifuges.
Assists in moving samples to backup freezers when equipment fails, is under repair, or for general inventory management initiatives.
Maintenance of shared specimen processing spaces.
Monitoring and ordering sample processing and management supplies.
Maintaining sample inventory records, including location and distribution
Pulling and distributing samples for approved projects.
Specimen processing, transfers specimens from racks to centrifuges and decant station. Decants, sorts, and labels specimens. a. Plasma extraction and storage, b. Serum extraction and storage, c. CSF processing and storage, d. Whole blood processing and storage, e. Urine processing and storage.
Interacts internally with other hospital departments such as wet labs, other biobanks, and Environmental Services as needed.
Assists in collecting data for quality assurance and quality control programs.
Sorts and prioritizes specimens delivered to the biorepository.
Maintaining documentation regarding sample management, including but not limited to receipt and distributions. Collects and organizes patient data, verifies accuracy, and updates study and biorepository documents required by the NCRI-MGH Biorepository program.
Data entry of information into study databases.
Maintains safety. Practices safe work habits and directs staff as needed. Compliance with all biorepository regulations, CAP, and other regulatory agencies, as applicable. Complies with biohazard safety standards by properly handling potentially hazardous chemical and biological agents in the workplace. Uses universal safety precautions and proper personal protective equipment to protect self and co-workers from bio-hazardous materials, including blood-borne pathogens. Completes annual biohazard/universal precaution safety training, as appropriate.
Act as a resource for site staff on sample management questions as needed.
Performs other administrative support duties as assigned.
All other duties as assigned.
Perform laboratory experiments following established protocols and procedures.
Prepare and handle samples, reagents, and solutions, ensuring accuracy and adherence to safety guidelines.
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and instruments, conducting routine calibration and troubleshooting as needed.
Record experimental data accurately and maintain organized records of procedures, protocols, and results.
Compile and analyze data using appropriate statistical and analytical methods.
Assist in data interpretation and presentation, contributing to research findings and reports.