Senior Research Assistant

Department Overview

The Vollum Institute is a privately endowed research institute at Oregon Health & Science University dedicated to basic research that will lead to new treatments for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Vollum scientists have broad-ranging interests that coalesce around molecular neurobiology and cellular physiology. Their work has transformed the field of neuroscience and, in particular, have provided important advances in the study of synaptic transmission, neuronal development, neurotransmitter transporters, ion channels and the neurobiology of disease.

Successful applicants should have experience in molecular biology and cell culture; should be highly organized and meticulous in experimental execution; and enjoy working closely with a team of scientists in developing new types of viral tools to understand the brain's cellular and synaptic organization in health and disease.

Function/Duties of Position

This position is full-time and has two core components.

The first component is to lead the Saunders Lab's efforts in generating custom viruses for applications in neuroscience and virology, for use in experiments performed within the lab and through external collaborators. This involves preparation of DNA plasmids, cell culture-based viral packaging, fluorescent imaging, and preparation of next-generation sequencing libraries.

The second component relates to lab manager duties, supporting the lab's reagent infrastructure and ordering.

Duties include:

• Order, organize and manage laboratory supplies; maintain integrity of lab reagent databases; prepare common lab reagents and solutions for scientific experiments.
• Generate neurotropic and characterize viral vectors for Neuroscience and Genomics research. Analyze related data based on fluorescence imaging, cell sorting, and next-generation sequencing results.
• Assist in molecular biology experiments (including plasmid cloning, sequencing library preparation and individual projects with the PI).
• Traveling to national and international meetings to present on findings, teach other lab members experimental techniques, including cell culture, plasmid preparation and sequencing, and lab-specific data management.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's in relevant field AND 1 years of relevant experience; OR
• Equivalent combination of training and experience.

Skills and Abilities

• Cell culture, molecular biology and biochemistry.
• Experience working in a molecular and biochemistry lab environment with progressive basic science skill building.

• Demonstrated ability processing cell cultures.

• Lab supply ordering and inventory maintenance for an entire program.

• Ability to work in a complex lab environment balancing one's own experiments while establishing and coordinating systems to support all experiments in the lab.  

• Strong knowledge of good laboratory practices, biohazard and chemical hazard documentation and lab safety practices.

• Experience with Microsoft office 365 tools, Outlook, Teams, Slack, PowerPoint, Dropbox. 

• Ability to present lab data locally and at national/international meetings.

• Excellent writing skills to contribute to scientific papers and abstracts.

• Ability to navigate difficult conversations, find workable solutions to interpersonal conflicts.

Preferred Qualifications

• Next-generation sequencing experience.

• Viral rescue/generation (rabies, AAV, lenti).

• Oracle ordering experience.

Additional Details

Standard laboratory work on site, Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm, flexible with some evenings/weekends as experiments demand. May work with small laboratory animals and hazardous chemicals, biohazardous materials.

Benefits 

• Healthcare for full-time employees covered 100% and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee.
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from.
• Paid time off - 208 hours per year, prorated for part-time.
• Extended illness bank - 64 hours per year, prorated for part-time.
• 9 paid holidays per year.
• Substantial Tri-Met and C-Tran discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Childcare service discounts.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts to local and major businesses.

Why apply to OHSU?