UNIV - Research Specialist I - Department of Neurosciences
About The Position
The C. Schmidt lab in the Medical University of South Carolina’s Department of Neurosciences is hiring a Research Specialist I for its new lab at the Darby Children’s Research Institute and Hollings Cancer Center. The lab investigates the developmental origins of pediatric brain cancers and the early development of the brain using molecular and stem cell biology approaches. The position supports lab operations and experimental research and offers training in basic and translational research, advanced laboratory techniques, and the process of establishing a new lab. It may suit someone interested in pursuing an advanced degree in biological sciences or medicine. Training will be provided. The posting gives two possible start-date statements: as early as November 2026 in the opening summary and as early as November 2025 in the repeated job description.
Requirements
- High school diploma and two years of work experience in a clinical or research setting; alternatively, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, biology, or another natural, life, or health-care science may substitute for the two years of experience.
- Knowledge of or experience with basic cell and molecular biology protocols.
- Ability to learn advanced wet-lab techniques, including genetic editing, flow cytometry, cryosectioning, and sequencing library preparation.
- Strong organizational, multitasking, and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and as a member of a research team.
- Ability to learn and use new processes, tools, and equipment.
- Ability to work rotating shifts and overtime as required.
Nice To Haves
- Experience culturing mammalian cells, human pluripotent stem cells, embryonic stem cells, or organoids.
- Experience with molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, such as molecular cloning, qRT-PCR, shRNA/siRNA gene knockdown, immunoblotting, or immunofluorescence imaging.
- Previous experience working with mice.
- Genome-editing experience, such as CRISPR/Cas9.
- Experience in neuroscience or cancer biology.
Responsibilities
- Maintain and use stem cell lines and primary cell cultures, including human induced-pluripotent stem cells, neural stem cell cultures, human tumor cell lines, HEK 293T fibroblasts, and brain organoids.
- Conduct cell culture experiments, including proliferation and cell-death assays, drug treatments, transfections, lentivirus production, and viral transductions under BSL2 conditions.
- Maintain cleanliness of the tissue culture room, manage reagent inventories and aliquots, and oversee equipment maintenance.
- Perform wet-lab procedures including molecular cloning, CRISPR/Cas9 work, RNA and protein isolation, qRT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining and microscopy, cryosectioning, flow cytometry, plasmid and bacterial handling, and reagent preparation.
- Analyze data for scientific reports.
- Maintain laboratory supplies and consumables; clean laboratory and tissue culture spaces; clean and autoclave glassware and plastics; and ensure safety and compliance guidelines are followed.
- Help introduce new lab members to the laboratory and its work, and assist the principal investigator in establishing an efficient lab and supporting science and training.
- Conduct mouse husbandry and surgical procedures, including intracranial injections of neural stem cells and tumor cells for tumor growth studies and therapeutic interventions.
- Perform bioluminescence imaging, treat mice therapeutically, and dissect tumors and other tissue.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
