Research Assistant

Job Title

Research Assistant

Agency

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Department

Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Bryan, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

What we believe

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & identities.  Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Integrity, and Selfless Service.

Who we are

As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.

What we want

The Department of Neuroscience & Experimental Therapeutics seeks a Research Assistant to join Dr. Cedric Geoffroy’s team. Under general supervision, the Research Assistant performs skilled, administrative, and managerial support in research. Plans and directs certain phases in a research project. The successful candidate will join a research lab focused on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved after spinal cord injury and finding pharmacological agents that can reverse pathologies induced by spinal cord injury. Major techniques of the laboratory include rodent surgeries and behavioral analysis, primary cell isolation and culture, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence & confocal microscopy, and bioinformatics. The Research Assistant will be conducting behavioral tests on injured mice, process the tissue of the experimental mice, and conduct anatomical analyses. The main objective of this research position is to find novel candidates enhancing functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

What you need to know

Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire’s experience.

Other Requirements or Other Factors: Must be willing to learn microscopy.

Required Education and Education:

• Appropriate bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others

Preferred Qualification:

• Bachelor of Science in Biology, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Psychology, or related fields

• Experience in animal care

• Experience in a previous employment requiring organization, cleaning, and teamwork

• Previous laboratory experience (including undergraduate volunteering in a research lab)

• Excellent organizational, written, and oral communication skills

• Highly motivated, detail-oriented, and have excellent interpersonal skills

• Proficient in Excel

Responsibilities:

• Tissue processing – Collect and process tissue from research animal subjects. Prepare animal tissue for immunohistochemistry. Conduct immunohistochemistry and image experimental animal tissue in preparation for analysis.

• Mouse behavioral studies – Conduct mouse behavioral studies to assess changes in locomotor function. Conduct mouse behavioral studies to assess changes in cognitive capacity.

• Data analysis – Collect, record, maintain, and analyze experimental/research data.

• General lab duties – Assist in managing mouse colonies, including breeding, genotyping, and recordkeeping. Supervise undergraduate volunteers. Performs other duties as assigned.

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.