Research Technician Diet, Brain and Sensory Systems
About The Position
The mission of the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University (HNRCA) is to promote healthy aging through nutrition science to empower people seeking to enjoy long, active, and independent lives. HNRCA investigators examine how nutrition and physical activity play a role in the prevention of the major chronic degenerative conditions and diseases associated with aging. The major goals of the Diet and Aging Brain, Sensory Systems research directive are to (1) identify dietary patterns, specific foods or their components through associations with brain- and vision-related outcomes, as measured in multiple, well characterized longitudinal and prospective studies; and (2) identify their mechanisms and processes using in vivo and in vitro models of age-related brain and visual aging that focus on changes in cognition, inflammation, neurogenesis, neuronal connectivity, and microbiome.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree in science
- Up to one year laboratory experience
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor's Degree in biology, chemistry or related field
- Familiarity with basic laboratory techniques (pH meter, spectrophotometers, balance, PCR), sterile cell culture facility, and essential standard procedures
Responsibilities
- Conducts routine experiments following appropriate protocols and procedures to achieve results such as tissue dissection, cryosectioning, immunohistochemistry, PCR, electrophoresis, and others
- Records results and maintains accurate records of experiments
- Performs limited data interpretation and assists with basic statistics and analysis
- Maintains laboratory equipment and orders/keeps inventory of supplies
- Prepares stock solutions, reagents and other media
- Monitors animal colonies and performs husbandry, collects samples, organizes custom feeding of mice, delivers microbiota, performs ocular imaging and electroretinography, and maintains census records
- Conducts a variety of routine experiments following established procedures and protocols, which may include monitoring and feeding laboratory animals, performing assays, tissue culture, electrophoresis, tissue dissection and immunohistochemistry, and other laboratory techniques.
- Record test results, analyze data using basic statistics, maintain laboratory equipment and supplies.
- Adapt new assays as well as read and interpret scientific literature.
- Oversee a large aging mouse colony and will have specific tasks involving feeding custom diets, administering microbiota, imaging eyes, and performing electroretinography.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
