Lab manager – Single Cell Epigenomics and Cancer Development lab

The Institute

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, based in Barcelona, Spain, with more than 400 scientists from 44 countries. The CRG is composed by an interdisciplinary, motivated and creative scientific team which is supported both by a flexible and efficient administration and by high-end and innovative technologies.

In April 2021, the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) received the renewal of the 'HR Excellence in Research ' Award from the European Commission. This is a recognition of the Institute's commitment to developing an HR Strategy for Researchers, designed to bring the practices and procedures in line with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code). 

Please, check out our Recruitment Policy .

The role 

We are looking for a highly experienced, motivated and enthusiastic lab manager at the Single Cell Epigenomics and Cancer Development team to provide support in creating a better understanding of early tumor formation in the context of our recently awarded ERC project. The successful applicant will work both independently and as a team member, having full responsibility for a set of key tasks as well as providing support to a high variety of other tasks in the lab.

The candidate will be in charge of the development and implementation of novel in vitro and in vivo wetlab-oriented techniques in our laboratory. She/He will join a multi-disciplinary team that uses CRISPR/Cas9 based approaches (genomic editing and dCas9-based techniques), molecular biology techniques (cell culture, RNA/DNA purification, cloning), and epigenetic analyses in cell pools and/or at the single-cell level (chIP-seq, ATAC-seq, DNA methylation analysis, chromatin conformation capture) to address questions of high biomedical significance with the aim to understand the epigenetic tumor-associated changes in the context of non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

The candidate needs to possess excellent communication and organizational skills. She/He will also be in charge of the general maintenance of the lab supplies, coordination of laboratory safety and inventory, and placement of purchasing orders. 

Of note, we also have a research technician position available in the context of our ERC project, which requires different skills then requested for this lab manager position. If you are interested, please check the following link: https://recruitment.crg.eu/content/jobs/position/research-technician-6. 

About the lab 

Tumors originate from normal cells that acquire tumor-initiating genetic events, such as translocations and somatic mutations. These genetic hits turn normal cells into pre-malignant cells, but do not lead to immediate tumor formation. For that, secondary genetic events as well as epigenetic hits are required. 

We aim to create a better understanding of how epigenetic tumor-associated changes arise in the context of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. To that end, we aim to study the occurrence of these changes in healthy individuals as well as in pre-malignant cells in vitro (to be created by CRISPR/Cas9 genomic editing) and in vivo using single-cell technologies. On top of that, we aim to define cell intrinsic mechanisms, such as enhancer activation and 3D chromatin interactions, that influence the occurrence of the observed changes. 

We are affiliated to the Gene Regulation, Stem Cell and Cancer Research program of the CRG in double affiliation with the Centre for Genomic Analysis (CNAG-CRG) and the department of Oncology and Haematology of the IDIBAPS. We strongly believe that bringing the knowledge and resources of these different environments together majorly aids to better understand the biology of disease. Further information can be found at: https://www.crg.eu/en/programmes-groups/beekman-lab .

Whom would we like to hire? 

Professional experience 

Must Have

• Ability to plan and conduct specialized and advanced research experiments.

• Capability to establish new research protocols and procedures independently.

• Extensive hands-on experience in CRISPR/Cas9-based technology to generate structural variants (genome editing) and to perform local chromatin pertubations (dCas9-based approaches).

• Proven hands-on experience in single-cell genomics protocols (e.g. scRNAseq, scATACseq, single-cell DNA methylation analysis).

• High level of hands-on experience in epigenetic analyses (e.g. ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, bisulfite sequencing, chromatin conformation capture).

• Strong background and over 10 years of hands-on experience in basic molecular biology, particularly mammalian cell culture-based techniques and DNA/RNA biology (e.g. DNA/RNA purification, cloning).

• Accreditation for animal work.

• Expertise in laboratory management and purchasing systems (e.g. Oracle).

Desirable but not required/ Nice to have

• Good scientific communication and presentation skills.

• Expertise in supervising and supporting other researchers in a team.

• Hands-on experience in animal model work.

• Expertise in assisting the preparation of material for publication.

• Participation in seminars and scientific meetings appropriate for the field of interest.

Education and training

• PhD degree in Molecular Biology or a related field.
• Postdoctoral stages are desirable but not required.

Languages

• Excellent communication skills in English (both oral and writing).

Competences 

• Highly developed organization skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Enthusiasm, motivation and dedication to explore new scientific avenues.
• Capability to work on different projects simultaneously as part of a team and independently.

The Offer – Working Conditions

• Contract duration: 5 years, linked to ERC project
• Estimated annual gross salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and consistent with our pay scales
• Target start date: 17/10/2022

We provide a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructures, and unique professional career development opportunities. To check out our training and development portfolio, please visit our website in the training section.

We offer and promote a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The CRG is committed to reconcile a work and family life of its employees and are offering extended vacation period and the possibility to benefit from flexible working hours.

Application Procedure

All applications must include:

All applications must be addressed to Dr. Renée Beekman and be submitted online on the CRG Career site - http://www.crg.eu/en/content/careers/job-opportunities 

Selection Process 

• Pre-selection: The pre-selection process will be based on qualifications and expertise reflected on the candidates CVs. It will be merit-based.
• Interview: Preselected candidates will be contacted to coordinate an interview with the PI.
• Offer Letter: Once the successful candidate is identified the Human Resources department will send a Job Offer, specifying the start day, salary, working conditions, among other important details. 

Deadline: Please submit your application by 13/10/2022

Suggestions: The CRG believes in ongoing improvement and promotes a culture of feedback. This is one of the reasons we have in place, at your disposal as a candidate, a mechanism to gather your suggestions/complaints concerning your candidate experience in our recruitment processes. Your feedback really matters to us in our aim at creating a positive candidate journey. You can make a difference and help us improve by letting us know your suggestions through the following form. https://recruitment.crg.eu/webforms/recruitment-contact-form-