Research Technical Assistant
About The Position
The Light Lab, part of the Department of Microbiology and the Duchossois Family Institute at the University of Chicago, studies the role of the human gut microbiome in health and disease, with a focus on microbial metabolism. Gut bacteria produce small molecules that affect host physiology, and this research aims to identify the organisms responsible for these conversions and their contribution to conditions like type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. The Research Analyst will conduct bench work on funded projects under the mentorship of the Principal Investigator, alongside graduate students and postdoctoral scientists. This role is ideal for individuals seeking to build a technical foundation in anaerobic microbiology and microbial biochemistry. This is an at-will position funded by contractual grant funding, which is subject to renewal based on grantor provisions. Employment is contingent upon continued grant funding and satisfactory job performance.
Requirements
- Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree).
- Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Biological or Chemical Science.
- Working wet-lab experiences in one of the following fields: molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, or microbiology.
- Fundamental pipetting and solution-preparation skills, baseline computer literacy for data entry.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
Responsibilities
- Conduct a mentored scientific research project in collaboration with a senior member of the laboratory.
- Support general laboratory operations, including reagent and consumable ordering, equipment maintenance scheduling, and chemical inventory management.
- Ensure adherence to biosafety and chemical hygiene requirements.
- Cultivate obligate anaerobic bacteria isolated from the human gastrointestinal tract using strict anaerobic techniques and anaerobic chambers.
- Perform molecular cloning and bacterial genetics, including plasmid construction, targeted gene deletions, and generation of complementation strains.
- Verify genetic constructs using PCR and sequence analysis.
- Conduct biochemical and analytical work, including growth and metabolite production assays, recombinant protein preparation, enzyme activity measurements, and metabolite quantification by mass spectrometry.
- Support mouse experiments, as applicable, including animal colonization, sample collection, and processing of intestinal contents and tissues.
- Provide technical and administrative support in a laboratory environment performing basic laboratory techniques, research and analysis under direction.
- Collect data in support of research projects under direct supervision.
- Collect and enter data.
- Assist in analysis of data and with preparation of reports, manuscripts and other documents.
- Comply with institution, state and federal regulatory policies, procedures, directives, and mandates.
- Perform other related work as needed.
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Retirement plans
- Paid time off
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
