UNIV - Research Specialist I - Department of Biochemistry

Medical University of South Carolina • Charleston, SC

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Dr. Delaney's laboratory is seeking a self-motivated Research Specialist I to start between April 2026 and June 2026. This position involves dedicated research tasks to generate data for the lab and enhance the specialist's technical skills in biological sciences. Research projects focus on understanding how chromosome changes affect cell biology, particularly in cancer, utilizing live mice and cell lines as model systems. The lab employs advanced biological tools such as CRISPR-Cas9, genetically engineered mouse models, big data analysis, machine learning, and AI. Additionally, this role offers a professional development opportunity to serve as a laboratory manager, overseeing daily lab operations and ensuring regulatory compliance. There are also opportunities to learn and apply R for data science. The lab maintains connections with medical oncologists, and the Research Specialist is expected to receive authorship credit for any generated results. Candidates should possess some, but not extensive, basic, non-clinical research laboratory experience relevant to the described work. The ideal candidate is highly organized and proficient in creating documentation using Word, Excel, and Google Docs, and must be capable of working effectively in a team environment.

Requirements

• Some, but not extensive, basic, non-clinical research laboratory experience related to job description.
• Very well organized and able to create documentation in Word, Excel, and Google Docs.
• Ability to work well in a team setting.
• A high school diploma and two years work experience in a clinical or research setting; a bachelor's degree in chemistry, biology, or other natural, life or health care science may be substituted for the two years of required experience.

Nice To Haves

• Previous experience with mice, cell culture, and bacterial plasmid preps.
• Opportunities to learn and use R for data science.

Responsibilities

• Serve as lab manager, including keeping the lab safe, clean, and compliant.
• Perform multi-month prior to deadline updates to IBC, IACUC, Tick@Lab, safety SOP and training signatures for lab members, and other regulatory system updates as the regulatory environment changes.
• Maintain and set up laboratory equipment.
• Ensure teammates are fulfilling required tasks designated by Dr. Delaney.
• Perform standard mouse cancer experiments, including inoculating human and mouse cancer cells into mouse models.
• Monitor tumor growth and mouse safety, including weights, gait, and food or water consumption.
• Collect tissue for further experimentation.
• Maintain mouse colony, ensuring adequate breeders are routinely in stock.
• Wean pups, perform marking of animals, and genotype during weaning.
• Coordinate appropriate size of colony with PI, lab members, and university managed facilities.
• Order animals as needed from outside vendors.
• Perform standard biological assays, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, westerns, qRT-PCR, DNA isolation, lentivirus, microscopy, and analyze data in a reportable format.
• Manipulate plasmids, bacteria, human, and mouse cell lines using standard molecular biology techniques.
• Learn from and train others specialized lab skills.
• Collaborate with research cores on and off campus for samples which require processing from any lab member.
• Keep exceptional records for where biological samples are and follow up with cores as needed to acquire rapid results and return of biological samples.
• Keep exceptional laboratory records including lab and office supply inventory, ordering information, common stocks (plasmids, bacteria, cell lines, and antibodies).
• Present research routinely to the lab at lab meetings and participate in lab meeting discussions with publication-quality formatting.
• Process orders for the laboratory.

Benefits

• Authorship credit on papers is intended regarding any results generated by the Research Specialist.
• Professional development opportunity serving as laboratory manager, managing all aspects of daily laboratory function and regulatory compliance.
• Opportunities to learn and use R for data science.

What This Job Offers

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