Job description
APPLICATION CLOSING DATE : February 28th, 2024
About Human Technopole:
Human Technopole (HT) is an interdisciplinary life science research institute, created and supported by the Italian government, with the aim of developing innovative strategies to improve human health. Researchers at HT work together to enable interdisciplinary research and to create an open, collaborative environment that will help promote life science research both nationally and internationally.
At Human Technopole we house a central unit dedicated to facilitating the generation of novel molecular datasets from clinically annotated patient cohorts, and for the development of patient-derived model systems from human samples.
About the position:
In this core unit, we are seeking a Technician in Tissue and Organoid Biobanking.
The post will be responsible for collecting human material from hospitals in the Milan area and bringing those to the HT laboratory, as well as for the tracking and storing of human samples for various research projects. The post will interact with physicians, surgeons, nurses, and other health care professionals to coordinate tissue collection. The candidate will also contribute to the derivation of organoid cultures from human tissues.
We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate with a strong background in human tissue sampling and cell biology. Qualifications include a bachelor's degree in biological sciences or an equivalent field, along with a robust proficiency in tissue culture techniques. Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential. The candidate will collaborate with other members of the team, including computational scientists and bioinformaticians for the analysis of the data. They will work closely with a diverse team to formulate and validate hypotheses. Eventual genomic profiling of the samples will be supported by the HT National Facility for Genomics, which is equipped with the latest cutting-edge sequencing technologies.
The successful candidate will report to Prof. Andrea Sottoriva, who is also the Head of the Computational Biology Research Centre.
Key tasks and responsibilities
- Conducting human sample collection, tracking, and storing; ensuring that all human material is stored and processed according to the health and safety and ethics regulations.
- Interacting with physicians, surgeons, nurses, and other health care professionals to coordinate tissue collection.
- Maintaining an up-to-date electronic lab notebook and reporting regularly to the principal investigator or other members of the research groups.
- Performing routinely mycoplasma cell culture test.
- Learning new techniques under the direction of the other members of the lab.
- Generating reliable data for publication in the projects to which they are assigned.
- Helping with cell culturing and nucleic acids extraction, if required.
- Providing technical support to other laboratory members and supporting the use of lab equipment.
- Liaising with the Lab Manager and other staff to write risk assessments and ensure that they are regularly updated.
Job requirements
Essential requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, e.g., molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, or in a related field of the life sciences (obtained within 3 months from closing of the call).
- Experience in human sample tracking and storing.
- Experience in cell biology.
- B driver's license.
- Fluency in English – HT is an international research institute.
Preferential requirements:
- Hands-on experience in human blood and tissue processing and histology.
- Experience in molecular biology techniques.
- Experience in handling large-scale projects would be considered advantageous.
Organizational and social skills:
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and to work independently.
- Excellent organization and communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating by the ability to lead and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavour.
- Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Application Instructions
Please apply online by sending:
i) a CV
ii) a motivation letter in English
iii) names and contacts of 2 referees
For any inquiry about the call, please feel free to contact Prof Andrea Sottoriva at [email protected] (this email address should not be used to send applications).
Why Human Technopole
HT seeks scientific excellence, we recruit the best scientific talents through international, open calls.
Our working environment is international, friendly and inclusive. Our scientists work together across disciplines on research topics of biomedical relevance, leveraging synergies between their diverse skillsets and methodological approaches.
We believe that highly diverse teams yield the best and most innovative results.
We engage in outward-facing scientific activities aimed at benefiting the national and international research community. Training is also at the heart of our activity, with initiatives and opportunities for our staff, including scientific courses, conferences and workshops.
Main benefits
- Welfare plans.
- Canteen service.
- Work-life balance provisions.
- Italian language training for foreigners.
- Maternity leave up to 1 year and other support for new parents.
- Counseling.
- Possibility of flexible working hours
- Support for relocation.
- Tax benefits where applicable.
Special consideration will be given to candidates who are part of the protected categories list, according to L. 68/99.
Number of positions offered: 1
Contract offered: CCNL Chimico Farmaceutico, contract duration to be determined - employee level.
The position is based in Milan.