Research Technician

Founded in 1863, Boston College is a Jesuit, Catholic university located six miles from downtown Boston with an enrollment of 9,484 full-time undergraduates and 5,250 graduate and professional students.  Ranked 35 among national universities, Boston College has 888 full-time and 1,281 FTE faculty, 2,711 non-faculty employees, an operating budget of $1.4 billion, and an endowment in excess of $3.5 billion.

Job Description

Research Technician or Research Associate
Title and competitive salary commensurate with relevant experience

The Gubbels Lab in the Biology Department at Boston College is seeking a research technician or associate to join our team. The Gubbels Lab (gubbelslab.com) studies the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The candidate’s responsibilities span general lab duties next to carrying out independent bench-level research in close partnership with other labmembers. The candidate will be using a combination of traditional micro- and molecular-biology techniques to create reporter and mutant parasite strains, and use cell biological (including, but not limited to, fluorescence microscopy) and biochemical assays to make phenotypic characterization. This position is grant-funded for two years.

Job Responsibilities

• Interact with the PI to set goals, design experiments, and monitor progress

• Keep a detailed and organized lab notebook
• Partner directly with academic trainee(s) and external collaborators to design and execute experiments
• Analyze experimental data and identify methodological problems, and if required, develops skills in documentation of experimental procedures and outcomes, data interpretation, and methodological problem solving through interactions with academic trainees
• Participate in team meetings to share results, plan projects and experiments
• Present work at lab meetings and attends seminars

In addition, the candidate will assume part of the following responsibilities:

• Manage tissue culture needs for the lab by directing undergraduate employees
• Perform general laboratory maintenance tasks, this may include:
• assisting with making general lab reagents such as media
• ordering supplies and equipment and assisting with setup and organization
• keeping an inventory of lab supplies and re-ordering supplies as necessary
• coordinating equipment maintenance and repair
• Advise and make recommendations to the PI on administrative issues and resource needs

Requirements

Required:

• Willingness to learn and use new skills in the laboratory environment
• Ability to maintain detailed and accurate records in lab notebooks and databases
• hand, wet-bench research experience
• Basic molecular biology skills
• Strong problem-solving and organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to work effectively both with others and independently

Preferred:

• B.A. or B.S. in biological sciences, biochemistry, bioengineering, or related scientific discipline, applicants with M.S. degrees in biology or related fields are welcome to apply
• familiarity with molecular biology, cell biology and genomics and the ability to apply this knowledge to the laboratory setting
• experience with common lab techniques such as cloning, culturing of bacteria, cell culture, and fluorescence microscopy or genomics techniques would be a plus
• ability to commit at least one year and preferably two to the position

To Apply:
Please send a cover letter (email body is OK) describing your background, professional interests and ambitions and a curriculum vitae (attachment) and contact information (phone + email) for three references to [email protected] . Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Closing Statement

Boston College offers a broad and competitive range of benefits depending on your job classification eligibility:

• Tuition remission for Employees
• Tuition remission for Spouses and Children who meet eligibility requirements
• Generous Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Low-Cost Life Insurance
• Eligibility for both University-Funded 401k and Employer-Sponsored 403b Retirement Plans
• Paid Holidays Annually
• Generous Sick and Vacation Pay
• Additional benefits can be found on https://www.bc.edu/employeehandbook

Boston College conducts pre-employment background checks as part of the hiring process.

Boston College is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. In concert with our Jesuit, Catholic mission, Boston College is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic faculty and staff committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment and strongly encourages applications for women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and covered veterans. To learn more about how BC supports diversity and inclusion throughout the university please visit the Office for Institutional Diversity at https://www.bc.edu/diversity .

Boston College's Notice of Nondiscrimination can be viewed at https://www.bc.edu/nondiscrimination .