Technician III - Molecular Biology and Genetics - Barbash Lab

Cornell University • Ithaca, MI

21h • $24 - $27 • Onsite

About The Position

As a university founded to be a place where “…any person can find instruction in any study,” inclusion and belonging are at the core of our values and mission. We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation. As a member of the Cornell University community, it is important to recognize our shared responsibility to each other to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all. Cornell Core values As an individual contributor you will model and support a culture of inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing and continually seek to understand how your role, behaviors, and actions impact the success of this culture. While position responsibilities vary greatly, the Skills for Success and Leadership Skills for Success are foundational to what is expected of every employee and leader working at Cornell. These skills are essential for individual and organizational success. Staff Skills for Success; Leadership Skills for Success About the College The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We strongly encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and home to Cornell University’s second largest population of students, faculty and staff. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. CALS is fundamentally invested in improving the lives of people, their environments and their communities both in New York state and around the world. The lab of Daniel Barbash in the Department of Molecular and Genetics is seeking a highly motivated candidate to work in a research lab dedicated to studying genome evolution in Drosophila. Primary responsibility will be assisting in the research activities in the lab. Specifically, the individual will be responsible for creating recombinant DNA plasmids for a range of experiments, preparing and screening injected Drosophila strains for genome edited (CRISPR/Cas9) mutations, performing Drosophila crosses to assess chromosome segregation patterns, and performing fluorescent microscopy analyses of Drosophila tissues. Analyses include evaluating viability and fertility functions of Drosophila cross data, and quantification and processing of data from confocal microscopy. What We Need While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Requirements

• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Associate’s degree and up to 2 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Must be personable, flexible, proactive, demonstrating a positive “can do” attitude, possess excellent organizational and communication skills and take pride in their work.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with students, faculty and staff.
• Ability to maintain a comprehensive, up to date and accurate research lab notebook.
• Visual concentration, attention to detail and manual dexterity are required.
• Must be willing to learn new laboratory skills.
• Must be able to work independently after sufficient training, as well as in a team environment to accomplish required tasks.
• Must be comfortable working with Drosophila (fruit flies).
• Should be comfortable with basic computer programs such as MS Word and Excel and Google Docs.
• Familiar with basic molecular biological, cell biological, genetics and biochemical techniques.
• Able to work under general supervision and proceed alone on regular tasks.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related subject.
• Knowledge of genetics, evolutionary biology, and/or molecular biology and basic bioinformatics using Software such as BLAST and LaserGene a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assisting in conducting research experiments using techniques such as basic molecular biology (DNA and RNA isolation from Drosophila stocks as well as bacterial cell culture, bacterial cell transformation, plasmid DNA preparation), PCR amplification of genomic and plasmid DNA, cloning in bacterial cells (including Gibson Assembly), CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing in diverse Drosophila strains species, genetic crosses between defined strains, and light and fluorescent microscopy.
• General lab maintenance, ordering, and organization, as well as assisting in training incoming students and postdocs in relevant techniques are also important roles.

Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree