Lab Technician - Dept. of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (CAS) - Technician III

Cornell University•Ithaca, NY

23h•$24 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

In the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology we value science and education grounded in the natural history of organisms and strive to understand the patterns and processes that structure communities and ecosystems and drive evolutionary change over all geographical and time scales. As new methods provide insight into ecological and evolutionary mechanism and function, we seek to refine fundamental concepts, integrate findings into novel theory, and address environmental challenges. As a department we are committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging - values that underlie all we do. The Lab Technician provides moderately complex to complex lab support to the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology in the College of Arts & Sciences . Primary responsibilities (80% of the work) will be to perform laboratory research on cnidarian embryos, oversee the maintenance of live cnidarian colonies (sea anemones, tube anemones, and corals), support the laboratory research of other lab members, and provide technical training as necessary. Animal maintenance includes preparing seawater, maintaining animal-safe conditions, cleaning animal dishes, feeding/preparing adults for spawning, and caring for live embryos. This portion of the research requires the ability to carry 5 gallons of water (~40 lbs) over short distances. Additional research activities will entail various aspects of cell and tissue biology. Specific tasks will include generating transgenic lines of sea anemones using CRISPR/Cas9 and similar technologies, microinjection, extracting genomic DNA, RNA, and protein from wildtype and mutant animals, performing PCR, gel electrophoresis, molecular cloning, sequence analysis, qPCR, in situ hybridization, and immunoprecipitation, and regular use of light and confocal microscopy. Additionally, the Lab Technician will be expected to assist in developing and/or troubleshooting new protocols, analyzing data, preparing figures, and reporting results at lab meetings. An additional 20% of the work will involve general lab maintenance and support. These duties include regular inventory, ordering, and organization of consumables and performing routine lab maintenance tasks including autoclaving, minor equipment repairs, and ensuring adherence to laboratory safety protocols. The Lab Technician will be expected to contribute data for inclusion in presentations and articles for publication and to write and/or present report summaries as requested. On occasion the Technician will assist with set up of experiments for course and workshop instruction and provide training in laboratory techniques, instrument use, and execution of methods and procedures to new lab members. This is a full-time position at 39 hours/week. This is a one-year term appointment that is contingent upon available work, funding, and performance.

Requirements

Associate’s degree and up to 2 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination
Prior experience in a laboratory setting
Prior knowledge of safety protocols in a lab setting and proper waste handling
Experience with Microsoft office suite – including Word, PowerPoint and Excel and familiarity with outlook
Ability to communicate verbally and written with faculty, staff and students
Possess excellent organizational skills, be proactive, and take responsibility for actions
Ability to work independently and to develop effective working relationships with students, faculty, and staff
Ability to maintain comprehensive, up-to-date lab records
Fine manual dexterity and attention to detail are required due to the size of the embryos and the nature of the molecular work to be performed
Evidence of expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, and microscopy
A flexible work schedule is critical as there will be occasions when the technician will need to work on evenings, weekends, and/or holidays to provide care for live embryos
Experience modeling values that support inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members

Nice To Haves

Lab management experience
Strong publication record for career stage
Expertise in embryology including the ability to perform microinjection
Experience with marine invertebrate husbandry
Experience with phylogenetics and computational biology
Familiarity with Geneious, Imaris, and ImageJ,and R, helpful

Responsibilities

Perform laboratory research on cnidarian embryos
Oversee the maintenance of live cnidarian colonies (sea anemones, tube anemones, and corals)
Support the laboratory research of other lab members
Provide technical training as necessary
Prepare seawater, maintaining animal-safe conditions, cleaning animal dishes, feeding/preparing adults for spawning, and caring for live embryos
Generating transgenic lines of sea anemones using CRISPR/Cas9 and similar technologies
Microinjection
Extracting genomic DNA, RNA, and protein from wildtype and mutant animals
Performing PCR, gel electrophoresis, molecular cloning, sequence analysis, qPCR, in situ hybridization, and immunoprecipitation
Regular use of light and confocal microscopy
Assist in developing and/or troubleshooting new protocols, analyzing data, preparing figures, and reporting results at lab meetings
Regular inventory, ordering, and organization of consumables
Performing routine lab maintenance tasks including autoclaving, minor equipment repairs, and ensuring adherence to laboratory safety protocols
Contribute data for inclusion in presentations and articles for publication and to write and/or present report summaries as requested
Assist with set up of experiments for course and workshop instruction and provide training in laboratory techniques, instrument use, and execution of methods and procedures to new lab members