Research Assistant /Technician
About The Position
The technician will support a collaborative research program spanning the Aviles and Jankowski labs. The position integrates three primary areas of responsibility: Specimen processing and curation, Coordination of undergrad assistants, and Data management and analysis. Additional duties include supporting laboratory infrastructure and instrumentation, maintaining lab organization, re-stocking supplies, and upkeep of the lab’s website. The position involves coordinating undergraduate assistants in specimen processing, offering guidance on project methods, managing and processing datasets, creating photographic and digital records of specimens, contributing to lab website updates, maintaining and operating laboratory equipment, and maintaining lab organization and inventory. The position has considerable latitude for apportioning time, choosing methods, and prioritizing work. Errors in choice, prioritization, or execution of experiments can have larger consequences on the research program if problems are not detected and acted upon immediately. Careful attention to detail and timely communication are essential.
Requirements
- Completion of a relevant technical program or a university degree in a relevant discipline and a minimum three years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- Knowledge of laboratory safety procedures and techniques is required.
- Effective oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.
- Needs accuracy, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask.
- Demonstrated ability to reliably carry out instructions without ongoing directions, ability to work independently and within a team environment.
Nice To Haves
- B.Sc. in Biology or related sciences.
- Experience working with insects and spiders strongly preferred.
- Previous experience working with arthropod specimens, including familiarity with methods of field data collection and preparation of preserved specimens for molecular work or museum samples.
- Experience with identification of species using microscopes and taxonomic keys is an asset.
- Experience with data entry, graphical presentation, and statistical analysis.
Responsibilities
- Specimen processing and curation: Management and processing of arthropod specimens, including sorting, photographing and measuring specimens, as well as creating and maintaining associated digital and online databases.
- Coordination of undergrad assistants: Providing guidance and feedback to undergraduate students on respective lab-related projects in coordination with PIs and graduate students working on related projects. Helping to coordinate shared tasks among undergraduate assistants.
- Data management and analysis: Curation, organization and analysis of ecological datasets, including long-term databases on animal communities (e.g., birds and insects) across environmental gradients. Tasks include data cleaning, visualization, statistical analysis, and contributing to workflows and developing analytical approaches.
- Laboratory infrastructure and instrumentation: Support for the operation and organization of laboratory infrastructure, including microscopy, imaging systems and ecoacoustic/camera-based monitoring equipment.
- Additional duties include maintaining lab organization, re-stocking of field and laboratory supplies, and upkeep of the lab’s website.
- Coordinating undergraduate assistants in the processing (sorting, measuring, and photographic classification) of arthropod specimens using microscopes and appropriate software.
- Offering guidance to undergraduate assistants in the methods and relevant literature for their respective projects in coordination with the PIs and graduate students in the lab.
- Managing and processing datasets, including data entry (e.g., with Excel), cleaning, visualization, and manipulation, graphing and statistical analysis using software (e.g., R).
- Creating photographic and digital records of specimens for the purposes of research, teaching, and online resources for scientists and the general public.
- Contributing to lab website updates and digital content.
- Maintenance and operation of laboratory equipment, including microscopy, imaging systems, and ecoacoustic/camera monitoring infrastructure.
- Maintaining lab organization, inventory and re-stocking field and laboratory supplies.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Part-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Associate degree
