Research Assistant, Structural Biology

The Center for Structural Biology Cryo-EM Facility at Vanderbilt University seeks a full-time Research Assistant to join the team. The Research Assistant in the Center for Structural Biology (CSB) Cryo-Electron Microscopy Facility is a key individual contributor responsible for ensuring the effective and efficient instrumentation operation, setting standard operating procedures, and training and assisting users responsible for ensuring the effective and efficient operation of instrumentation, developing standard operating procedures, and training and assisting users. This environment provides the opportunity for a motivated individual to participate in and contribute significantly to stimulating professional research and teaching environment at the cutting edge of structural biology. This position requires coordination with other Staff Scientists in the Facility, including the Co-Directors, to ensure optimal operational efficiency. The Research Assistant reports directly to the Co-Directors of the CSB Cryo-EM Facility.

The Cryo-EM Facility aims to advance biomedical science knowledge through high-resolution imaging and image analysis of biomolecular assemblies. The Facility's mandate is to enable state-of-the-art molecular electron microscopy experiments for all Vanderbilt investigators with biomedical research needs. The Facility houses 4 electron microscopes, including a Titan Krios G4 with Falcon3 and BioQuantum K3 direct electron detectors. This diverse environment is highly collaborative, working with structural biologists, cell biologists, engineers, and other University facilities with expanded electron microscopy equipment, including a Thermo Scientific Helios Nanolab G3 CX FIB-SEM with a Quorum PP3010 cryo system. There are opportunities for further specialization. The Facility expands from our current work with cryo-EM and in situ cryo-ET to include new technologies and instruments such as correlative light and electron microscopy and Micro-ED applications. The position will be tailored to the Facility's needs and the successful applicant's previous experience and interests.

Facility equipment includes:

The Vanderbilt Center for Structural Biology is a multi-disciplinary, trans-institutional center based in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine's Basic Sciences. We are committed to increasing the diversity of the campus community. Candidates who can contribute to that goal are encouraged to apply and to identify their strengths and experiences in this area. The CSB was the core part of an initiative that started in the year 2000 to significantly upgrade Structural Biology capabilities at Vanderbilt by bringing additional faculty, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and programs to campus. The CSB was developed to promote the broad use of structural biology approaches in all life science research and provide a focal point that bridges medicine and biology to math, chemistry, and physics. The Center runs the Molecular Biophysics Training Program, which encompasses a network of ~150 faculty, students, postdocs, and staff. The CSB provides Vanderbilt investigators access to all available tools (including Crystallography, NMR Spectroscopy, Computational Biology, Electron Microscopy, and Fluorescence Spectroscopy) necessary to solve fundamental structural problems in medicine and biology. The CSB promotes an environment of collaboration among investigators from various departments in both the College of Arts and Science and the School of Medicine.

Duties and Responsibilities

Operation and Maintenance

Training

Qualifications

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At Vanderbilt University, we are intentional about and assume accountability for fostering advancement and respect for equity, diversity, and inclusion for all students, faculty, and staff. Our commitment to diversity makes us who we are. We have created a community that celebrates differences and lets individuality thrive. As part of this commitment, we actively value diversity in our workplace and learning environments as we seek to take advantage of the rich backgrounds and abilities of everyone. The diverse voices of Vanderbilt represent an invaluable resource for the University in its efforts to fulfill its mission and strive to be an example of excellence in higher education.

Vanderbilt University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.

Please note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.