Summary

We seek a smart and dedicated research technician to help us tackle incurable neurological diseases through basic research. Our team designs new mouse models for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia using cutting edge genetic strategies; we then use our models to ask how these diseases arise and explore creative new treatment ideas. Research Technician will; help us decipher the cause of a devastating disease,develop new ways to study it at the bench,and discover new treatments that may one day slow the tide of Alzheimer's.

To learn more about the Joanna Jankowsky Lab, visit: https://www.bcm.edu/research/labs-and-centers/faculty-labs/joanna-jankowsky-lab

Why consider us?
• Great training environment - highly collaborative team eager to share what they've learned
• Supportive advisor, focused on your professional development
• Learn cutting-edge genetic engineering along with basic molecular biology techniques
• Chance to attend seminars, audit graduate classes
• Room to grow, clear path for promotion

Job Duties

• Oversee and maintain a challenging mix of mouse lines. Weekly tasks include breeding, weaning, and euthanasia, but the bigger responsibility is keeping our complex mouse colonies organized, productive, and well-documented.
• Work with other lab members to ensure we breed the right mice in the right numbers to do our science.
• Take charge of weekly toe biopsies that help us identify and record every new animal we generate for study.
• Take pride in careful, robust PCR genotyping used to determine the genetic inheritance of each animal we breed
• Maintain precise, legible, and accurate biopsy, breeding, and genotyping records for the laboratory.
• Work with vivarium staff, veterinary technicians, and lab members to support top-notch care and humane treatment for all of our animals.
• Oversee lab inventory, ensure we have what's needed, and that folks know where to find it, so that we can all keep moving the research forward.
• Participate in experiments as much or as little as your interests and time allow, to include harvesting and processing brain tissue, tissue staining, data analysis, or other tasks as needed.
• Other lab duties as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Basic Science or related field. Four years of related experience may substitute for degree requirement.
• One year of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in basic science or a related field
• We seek candidates who are confident handling mice or rats in a research setting
• Our ideal candidate has experience maintaining genetically engineered animal strains
• Top candidates should be comfortable with basic molecular biology techniques such as PCR.
• Great candidates will be self-motivated with outstanding organizational skills, excellent record keeping, and careful attention to detail
• All candidates should have the ability to work well with others - we want team players!