Plant Biology Technician / Research Assistant I

MSU Internal Job Postings Details • East Lansing, MI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Plant Biology Technician will integrate lipid quantification and plant physiology experiments with other rich data sources to characterize chloroplast development and plant responses to cold. Supports the College of Natural Science in the Plant Research Laboratory. This is a limited term position funded for one year from date of hire with possible extension contingent upon funding renewal.

Requirements

• Knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in biochemistry or related field.
• One to three years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in standard laboratory procedures and safety requirements and performing analytical and research techniques in an area related to research being performed.
• Plant lipid analysis through thin-layer and gas chromatography
• Plant physiological measurements including electrolyte leakage, photosynthesis, and physical measurements.
• Willingness to work well in teams of differing expertise.
• Capacity to overcome research challenges.

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated experience in plant lipid analysis or phenotyping.
• Practical experience in plant abiotic stress assays.
• Familiarity with analytical instrumentation, such as gas chromatography or photosynthetic fluorescence meters.
• Expertise in coordinating research studies with large numbers of samples.
• Proven track record of contributing to peer-reviewed publications.
• 4+ years of experience with plant bioassays.

Responsibilities

• Execute, refine, and train others on plant lipid (primarily glycerolipid) analysis through thin-layer chromatography and gas chromatography, maintaining the relevant equipment as needed.
• Prepare samples for lipidomics done elsewhere.
• Design, execute, and train others on controlled cold stress experiments, including measuring electrolyte leakage, photosynthetic responses, and photography in a variety of species.
• Analyze raw data into functional graphs using a combination of Excel and Graphpad Prism.
• Compile research results for publication, assist in manuscript preparation, and ensure laboratory safety compliance.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned, which are reasonably within the scope of the duties in this job classification.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level