Research Technician II - Sivaramakrishnan Lab

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A Brief Overview
This entry-level research technical role participates in a planned research projects by performing research protocols, experimental procedures and other laboratory tasks under direct supervision. May occasionally exercise minimal discretion and judgment in execution and interpretation of experiments, and of data derived.

The Sivaramakrishnan Lab uses the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans to investigate how cell identities are established during development. We focus on transcription, the first step in gene expression, and study how gene regulatory programs coordinate cell-fate decisions as a single-celled zygote develops into a fully functioning adult organism.

We are seeking a motivated Research Technician to support projects modeling human neurodevelopmental disorders caused by transcriptional dysregulation. The primary focus of this position will be generating and characterizing C. elegans models of disease-associated genetic variants. This work will include CRISPR-based genome editing followed by molecular, developmental, imaging, and behavioral analyses.

Because these projects span a broad range of worm phenotypes, prior hands-on experience working with C. elegans is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will be comfortable maintaining worm strains, planning and conducting experiments, troubleshooting protocols, and documenting results carefully and reproducibly.

This position offers the opportunity to take meaningful ownership of research projects while benefiting from access to experienced collaborators, institutional cores, and multidisciplinary scientific resources. Although most work will involve wet-lab C. elegans research, the technician will also help coordinate project activities involving other model organisms, particularly Drosophila, and may participate in compound- or drug-screening studies using disease-model worms for development of therapies.

The Research Technician will also contribute to the daily operation of the laboratory, including media and reagent preparation, strain organization, and mentoring.

This role is well suited for a researcher who enjoys hands-on worm genetics and wants to apply that expertise to biologically and clinically relevant questions. The successful candidate will have opportunities to build advanced skills in genome editing, disease modeling, phenotyping, genomics, imaging, and collaborative research while contributing directly to projects with the potential to uncover disease mechanisms and identify therapeutic strategies.

What you will do

• Maintain, propagate, cross, synchronize, and organize C. elegans strains.
• Generate and validate humanized, knock-in, and other transgenic worm models using CRISPR-based genome-editing and molecular-genotyping approaches.
• Design and perform molecular, developmental, behavioral, imaging, mitochondrial, and organismal assays to characterize disease-model phenotypes.
• Support transcriptomic and genomics studies, including RNA-sequencing sample preparation, data organization, and coordination with genomics and bioinformatics cores.
• Analyze results, troubleshoot experiments, prepare figures and presentations, and contribute to manuscripts.
• Collaborate with researchers working in Drosophila, the CHOP Omics Initiative, institutional core facilities, and other project partners while supporting general laboratory operations and student training.
• Performs routine tests / experiments under the direction of principal investigator, supervisor or other designee
• Performs research procedures on experimental samples as directed
• Records and checks experiments/ results for completeness and accuracy
• Performs calculations and maintains appropriate log and lab notebooks
• Performs tasks that require familiarity with fundamental techniques and lab equipment
• May assist with planning specific research protocols and procedures
• Maintains office, lab area, solutions, reagents, supplies and equipment, disposes of specimens, media and other materials (using appropriate procedures)
• Assists in care and maintenance of lab equipment
• May coordinate schedules of tests and procedures
• Attends courses, seminars, and lab meetings to expand knowledge of research and laboratory techniques
• Records results, organizes data and maintains lab notebook in an organized manner
• Compiles and helps analyze data, prepares charts, graphs, and results of studies as directed
• Conducts literary searches as directed

Education Qualifications

• High School Diploma / GED - Required
• Associate's Degree - Preferred
• Bachelor's Degree - Preferred

Experience Qualifications

• At least one (1) year of related classroom experience or successful completion of a technical training program (eg. Wistar, WPSI) and research laboratory experience - Required
• At least two (2) years of related classroom experience or successful completion of a technical training program (eg. Wistar, WPSI) and research laboratory experience - Preferred

Skills and Abilities

• Intermediate understanding of lab procedures, protocols, and equipment.
• Basic exposure to lab specific experiments / techniques and scientific analysis
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Solid critical thinking / problem-solving skills
• Solid analytical skills

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SALARY RANGE:

Salary ranges are shown for full-time jobs. If you're working part-time, your pay will be adjusted accordingly.

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