Position Purpose:

The Research Technician provides technical support for ongoing grant-funded research in the Woodworth and Quiñones-Frías laboratories. This individual will perform research using Drosophila and mice as model systems and support research projects on retinal development and regeneration, as well as presynaptic cell biology in Drosophila.

Job Duties:

Safety/Equipment and Lab Maintenance:

• Train undergraduate lab workers in current laboratory safety practices and procedures.
• Ensure that all laboratory users comply with all safety regulations.
• Ensure that all solid, chemical, and bio-hazardous wastes are handled properly.
• Maintain in a timely manner cleanliness and organization of the laboratory space.

Maintenance of Laboratory Reagents:

• Identify reagents to order, organize and store reagents, and prepare media, buffers, and other reagents as necessary.
• Perform quality control tests on reagents to ensure their suitability for use.

Lab-Specific Tasks:

• In Dr. Woodworth’s lab, genotyping and performing husbandry tasks (breeding setup, weaning, euthanasia) for the transgenic mouse colony.
• In Dr. Quiñones-Frías lab, fly stock maintenance includes changing fly food for the entire collection (~4-5 hours every 3 weeks) and changing the food of
  frequently used stocks (~30 min task/ weekly).
• Help establish Dr. Quiñones-Frías new lab by purchasing and setting up equipment (10-12 hours; less time on weeks the collection needs to be flipped).

Student Research Support:

• Support thesis students working with techniques that are taught in the laboratory.
• Train students with the use of specialized equipment.
• In collaboration with faculty research mentor, assist students in experimental design or troubleshooting as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

A B.A. or B.S. degree in biology, neuroscience, biochemistry, or a related discipline is required.

Experience

Previous course-based or paid research assistant experience preferred.

Skills and Knowledge

• Commitment to equity and inclusion, and serving the needs of a culturally and educationally diverse community.
• Ability to collaborate with faculty to maintain a high degree of research output from the laboratory.
• Ability to work successfully with students at all levels of understanding and cognitive and emotional development, facilitating laboratory cohesion within a supportive atmosphere.
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks and demands within established guidelines of the laboratory.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including scientific writing style.
• Ability to work independently and handle multiple priorities with some supervision.
• Willingness and ability to learn additional applications and methods as needed.

Benefits:  

Bates College offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits (health, dental, sick leave, 24 days of vacation, 2 personal days, 13 paid holidays, dependent care subsidy, free parking, access to library and athletic facilities & more), and a supportive, collegial environment in a drug and smoke-free workplace.