Sr. Research Associate 1, SOM

University of Miami•Miami, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Miami/UHealth department of The Miami Project has an exciting opportunity for a Full Time Sr. Research Associate 1 to work at the UHealth Medical Campus. The Sr. Research Associate 1, SOM (A) provides laboratory-based support for the University’s research activities by tackling the more specialized and complex projects and experiments. Additionally, the incumbent leverages expertise in training and mentoring department staff, students, and less experienced research associates.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in relevant field
No experience required.
Skill in collecting, organizing, and analyzing data.
Ability to recognize, analyze, and solve a variety of problems.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions.
Proficient in basic computer operations and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
Ability to recognize, analyze, and identify histological tissue.
Ability to exercise sound judgment in making critical decisions.
Ability to work independently.
Ability to operate instruments independently.

Nice To Haves

3 years of relevant experience in transmission electron microscopy and histology.
CEMT certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Performs specialized and complex experiments in the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) field.
Advances expertise through education, training, and research.
Collects, prepares, analyzes, dissects, and evaluates samples for TEM, including resin-embedding block tissue, cell cultures and pellets.
Performs sectioning for semi-thin and thin sections in the ultramicrotome.
Stains the sections collected onto grids for contrast.
Loads nanoparticles and extracellular vesicles onto grids.
Specialized tasks to include immunostaining (immunogold) at the TEM level.
Operates sensitive and highly complex laboratory equipment such as the ultramicrotomes and the transmission electron microscopes.
Acquires images in the transmission electron microscope and sends electronic copies to users.
Assists in checking-in users who come to operate the electron microscope independently, including starting the scope and the camera software, and completing the login sheet.
Performs quality checks on safety of laboratories, including bio hazards, and insures maintenance of the facilities according to good laboratory practices.
Responsible for preparing the laboratories for the annual Environmental Health and Safety inspection.
Maintains laboratory equipment in compliance with federal regulations including the two transmission electron microscopes.
Contacts technicians to perform necessary repairs.
Updates protocols accordingly – both hard copies and electronic files in the shared drive.
Assists in training students and volunteers in the standard operating procedures of the Core and equipment specific requirements.
Interacts with other laboratories and TEM Core users.
Participates in training sessions, workshops and presentations.
Adheres to University and unit-level policies and procedures and safeguards University assets.
The Senior RA1 will be responsible for processing samples for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses.
This function includes, but it is not limited to, embedding samples (block tissue, cell cultures, pellets, etc.) in resin, sectioning blocks in the ultramicrotome and staining grids.
Other specialized duties are loading grids with nanoparticles/extracellular vesicles, immunogold staining for TEM, and operating the two JEOL JEM-1400 electron microscopes.
The Senior RA1 will interact with TEM Core users, train students, present at workshops, and assist the Manager in the general maintenance of the laboratory.