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Posted: 02-Feb-23
Location: Claremont, California
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LABORATORY TECHNICIAN II
BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT
Position Summary:
The Laboratory Technician II position is a grant funded position with expected funding from August 21, 2023 – August 20, 2025. There is a possibility, not a guarantee, of a one-year extension. This position is contingent upon continued and sufficient grant funding. This position provides technical lab support to faculty and students in a molecular parasitology research laboratory by performing a variety of routine and moderately complex laboratory and research-related responsibilities. The Laboratory Technician II works independently, reporting directly to the project PI. Molecular biology experiments include, but are not limited to, flow cytometry analysis, PCR, cloning, Cut&Run (similar to ChIP-seq), parasite genetic modification, and preparation of libraries for high-throughput sequencing.
The Schulz Tryp lab at Harvey Mudd College is globally interested in how organisms adapt to different environments. Our study system is the African trypanosome parasite, which cycles between a tsetse fly vector and a mammalian host. In humans and animals, the parasite causes a fatal disease called African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). The disease causes a large human and economic burden for people living in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the disease is endemic. In order to adapt itself from living in the bloodstream to living in the fly, the parasite must change the transcript levels of thousands of genes in the genome. We want to know more about the molecular mechanisms behind these changes. You can read more about our work at https://sites.google.com/a/g.hmc.edu/schulzlab/
About Harvey Mudd College:
Located in the heart of Claremont, California, 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college offering degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. HMC enrolls about 800 students and is a member of The Claremont Colleges, which comprises five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. According to students, professors, and alumni, what makes Harvey Mudd distinctive is its collaborative, cross-disciplinary nature. The working environment is built on collaborative relationships between and among all members of the campus community and a deep commitment to the College’s mission to educate students “so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.”
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Conducts experiments using current methods in molecular biology; assists PI in developing and evaluating methods, procedures and techniques used in experiments.
- Aids in the design of an undergraduate lab class around the PI’s research program.
- Prepares chemical reagents and solutions.
- Ensures the safe storage of biological and chemical materials.
- Sterilizes equipment, plasticware, and chemical reagents.
- Monitors inventories of expendable supplies (e.g., chemicals, reagents, plasticware, glassware) and advises PI or staff of reordering needs. May be responsible for ordering materials in consultation with PI and other staff.
- Assists PI with supervising and training research students in lab methods and procedures.
- Responsible for data entry, retrieval, and analysis on various Mac-type computers.
- Documents experimental work in clear and detailed laboratory notebook record.
- Assists in the proper collection and disposal of waste materials according to regulations and department policy.
- Participates in and contributes to a safe environment by keeping current with safety regulations, checking and maintaining equipment, orienting research students to the proper use of materials and equipment, and overseeing compliance with regulations.
- Performs research as needed.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Individuals must possess knowledge, skills and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or be able to explain or demonstrate how the essential functions can be performed, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.
- Ability to work independently and cooperatively.
- Proficiency with computer software, preferably python, R, and shell scripting.
- Good manual dexterity.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to use modern laboratory equipment in the general area of molecular biology.
- Ability to communicate, in English, with faculty members and students who are well versed in various scientific fields, primarily biology and bioinformatics.
- Knowledge of and ability in PCR, gel electrophoresis, and other routine molecular biology techniques.
- Knowledge of and ability in running and programming command-line pipelines in unix and python preferred.
- Knowledge of appropriate/applicable safety standards.
Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, or related field by May 2023. A combination of undergraduate coursework and related experience may be considered.
Experience: One to two years of experience with modern molecular biological instrumentation and laboratory techniques (DNA extraction, PCR, Sanger and Illumina sequencing), and familiarity with command-line computational analyses highly desirable.
Physical Requirements:
While performing the duties of this job, the staff member is regularly required to sit; stand use hands and fingers and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms. The individual must regularly lift and/or carry up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
Hours:
The regular hours are either 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. or 9:00am to 6:00pm with a one-hour unpaid meal period, Monday – Friday. Hours may vary due to the needs of the department or College.
Salary:
$19.23/hour
Classification:
This is a non-exempt, full-time, benefits-eligible position. This position is a grant funded position with expected funding from August 21, 2023 – August 20, 2025. There is a possibility, not a guarantee, of a one-year extension. This position is contingent upon continued and sufficient grant funding.
Reporting:
This position reports to the Principal Investigator (PI)
Application Process:
Application Procedures:
Please visit www.hmc.edu/employment to view a complete job description for this position and obtain information on how to submit an application. Information about HMC’s competitive benefits package is available at www.hmc.edu/hrbenefits.
Deadline to apply:
Position will remain open until filled.
Additional Information:
All faculty and staff (including contract workers) who are employed at HMC and for whom the COVID-19 vaccine is approved/authorized by the FDA, must be vaccinated against COVID-19, including the COVID-19 vaccine booster and provide proof of vaccination and booster, unless an exemption from this policy has been granted as an accommodation or otherwise.
This job description defines the essential job duties of the position. Harvey Mudd College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of the job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Regular employment at the College is for no specified period; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Employment is at-will and employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.
