Research Specialist
Research Specialist
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the nation’s leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.
Patient Care: We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.
Education: We will prepare tomorrow’s health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.
Research: We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.
Position Summary
The primary purpose of the position is to manage the Scnn1b-Tg mouse colonies, participate in the phenotyping efforts, and provide mice to collaborating researchers and industry partners via SPIROVATION. The Research Specialist will be asked to research, design, execute, interpret, and report scientific experiments to achieve specific goals as directed by supervisor as related to this mouse colony. Scientific techniques include but are not limited to: maintenance and genotyping (DNA isolation, PCR, Southern blotting) of transgenic mouse colonies; RNA expression analyses from different mouse tissues (RNA isolation, RT-PCR, Real-time-PCR (Lightcycler), Northern blots); molecular biology procedures including techniques required for DNA manipulation (PCR, cloning); primary cell culture of airway cells; harvesting of bronchoalveolar lavage, tracheal and lung tissues; tracheal instillation of bacteria, viruses, and pharmacologic treatments; administration of pharmacologic compounds via gavage, sub-cutaneous and intraperitoneal injection; monitoring of survival and health status; microbiological assays; histological evaluation of lung sections and differential cell counts; isolation of samples for mucin agarose western blot and analytical chemistry; and good command of general laboratory procedures. A partial component of this position is general laboratory management including participation in daily operations including ordering and record keeping and compliance with animal handling, health and safety procedures. The Research Specialist is also expected to serve as Laboratory Animal Coordinator for the Molecular Biology and Mouse Core, which will require training in all procedures as well as the training of other laboratory personnel in these procedures. The Research Specialist will become familiar with IACUC protocols and will serve as the primary contact for amendments, annual renewals, and new protocol submissions.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
The candidate must be willing to work with laboratory mice and be able to work with biological safety level 2 (BSL2) infectious agents (bacterial and viral). The employee must have demonstrated abilities in rodent dissection, excellent manual dexterity, and effective written and verbal communication skills. The employee must be willing to follow established lab safety procedures, be proficient in using Excel software, and be diligent about maintaining laboratory records.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Bachelor’s degree or higher in physiology, molecular biology, genetics, or related disciplines. Familiarity with data analysis software routinely used in the laboratory setting (GraphPad Prism) and the ability to query scientific literature web-based resources (PubMed).
Please apply online at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/226456
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.
