Job Description
The Research Assistant will be responsible for performing research related activities and assisting with laboratory maintenance within the University of Iowa Stead Family Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. This position will provide support by conducting neuroscience research related to mouse models of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders, performing behavioral and molecular experiments, collecting and organizing data, analyzing results, and remaining in compliance with various standard operating procedures and requirements.
It is expected that as the research assistant gains experience with laboratory techniques and procedures, they will take on increased autonomy and collaboration with other laboratory members. They will also gradually increase the level of their scientific duties by adding experimental design and data analysis as well as preparation of materials for abstracts, reports, grant applications, and manuscripts. This position will also assist with administrative duties related to ordering lab and animal supplies, maintenance and organization of protocols and documents.
This is a specified term position. Duties To Include Research - Perform research activities based upon protocols developed by other research staff or principal investigator of the research project.
- Read and review articles as directed and develop and maintain a working knowledge of the field and concepts pertaining to the project through familiarity with the scientific literature and attendance of internal and external meetings, seminars, workshops, and conferences when appropriate.
- As individual skills develop, search, compile, and critically evaluate scientific literature.
Conduct Experiments, Investigations, Evaluations - Read and understand protocols; as individual skills develop, troubleshoot and propose modifications to existing protocols or develop new protocols with other researchers or principal investigator.
- Plan and perform experimental procedures assuring fidelity to protocols.
- Perform research activities related to the study of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Perform mouse colony maintenance and husbandry and maintain associated documentation and records.
- Perform mouse handling and behavioral experiments.
- As individual skills develop, perform pharmacological agent and viral vector administration, tissue harvest and processing, and other non-surgical and surgical procedures.
- Carry out molecular biology techniques, including immunohistochemistry, DNA and RNA extraction and purification, PCR, gel electrophoresis.
- Operate light microscopes and acquire microscopic imaging data, including confocal.
Collect, Analyze and Summarize Data; Prepare Reports; Contribute to Manuscripts, Publications - Collect, record, organize, and as skills develop, analyze, data.
- Develop familiarity with basic spreadsheets and statistical concepts and software.
- Learn and implement animal monitoring software.
- Prepare figures and methods, bibliographies, and abstracts for use in posters, manuscripts, and grant application.
- Present results at lab meetings and other inta- and extra-mural meetings
Administrative and Project Management - Assist with procurement of lab and animal supplies and materials.
- Ordering and setting up laboratory equipment
- Organize and maintain protocols and administrative documents.
- With minimal help from PI, arrange and plan daily, weekly, and monthly activities to prepare for and perform experiments.
- Track progress of research projects and regularly communicate with PI both verbally and through regular written updates.
Facilities and Equipment Management - Develop and monitor quality control testing of equipment as necessary.
- Assist in the preparation, calibration, and maintenance of laboratory and facility equipment.
- Adhere to safety and compliance guidelines.
Supervision/Staffing - May train, provide direction, assignments, and feedback to other employees
About The Department Of Pediatrics The Stead Family Department of Pediatrics is a national leader in pediatric medicine. The Department's mission is to provide outstanding care to the children of Iowa and beyond by being a leader in state-of-the-art clinical care to children, performing cutting-edge research to find new treatments and cures for
childhood illnesses and educating the next generation of pediatric health care providers. The Department comprises the medical and research staff of UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s top-ranked pediatric care and research institutions, and Iowa’s only comprehensive children’s hospital.
About The Division Of Developmental And Behavioral Pediatrics The Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) provides compassionate and state-of-the-art clinical care for children with a variety of challenges and difficulties, including developmental delays (cognitive, language, social, behavioral, motor), intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, hearing/vision impairments, ADHD, learning disorders (such as dyslexia), disruptive behavior disorders, and cerebral palsy. The DBP Division also provides leadership for the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital Autism Center, which is a collaborative program of the Stead Family Department of Pediatrics and the Department of Psychiatry. The Division is housed within the nationally-renowned Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD) which integrates clinical service with research (through the Hawkeye Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center, or Hawk-IDDRC), education (including the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and related Disabilities, or LEND, program), and community outreach, as Iowa’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD).
Required Qualifications - A Bachelor's degree in neuroscience, psychology, or a related biological science field or discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Minimum of 6 months to one year of prior research experience in neuroscience, psychology, biology, or a related field
- Experience with data entry and analysis.
- Ability to work well both independently and in a team setting.
- Excellent organizational and time-management skills, and attention to detail
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Highly Desired Qualifications - Experience with animal handling and husbandry, and particularly mouse colony maintenance and management is highly desired
- Experience with molecular biology lab techniques.
- Experience with data analysis, statistics, programming.
Desired Qualifications - Knowledge of neuroscience concepts
- Experience arranging and planning weekly to monthly activities to prepare for and perform experiments, efficiency, multi-tasking, and prioritization skills.
- Experience preparing materials for use in posters, manuscripts, and grant applications.
- Experience with surgical techniques, tissue harvest, sectioning, histology, and microscopy.
Position And Application Details In order to be considered for an interview, applicants must upload the following documents and mark them as a “Relevant File” to the submission:
Job openings are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days and may be removed from posting and filled any time after the original posting period has ended.
Successful candidates will be required to self-disclose any conviction history and will be subject to a criminal background check and credential/education verification. Up to 5 professional references will be requested at a later step in the recruitment process.
For additional questions, please contact Pediatrics Human Resources at pedsuichildrenshr@uiowa.edu
This position is not eligible for university sponsorship for employment authorization. Additional Information
- Classification Title: Research Assistant
- Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
- Schedule: Full-time
- Work Modality Options: On Campus
Compensation Contact Information
- Organization: Healthcare
- Contact Name: Pediatric Human Resources
- Contact Email: Pedsuichildrenshr@healthcare.uiowa.edu
Job Tags
Full time,