Research Technician II, Federal Grant Project, Orthopaedic Surgery

School of Medicine

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RESEARCH TECHNICIAN II, Orthopaedic Surgery

This is a term-limited one-year position with renewal b ased on the availability of funding.

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is hiring individuals to perform a variety of technical duties involved in conducting standardized assays, laboratory tests, experiments and determinations in support of a fully funded research project to develop therapeutic drugs for osteoarthritis. 

General Purpose

Under the supervision of the principal investigators, the research technician will be expected to perform technical procedures to evaluate the efficacy of the drug treatment. The technical procedures will include osteochondral tissue culture, drug screening, animal care, rodent surgery, tissue collection, histology, and imaging for analysis. The Research Technician II will either have experience with these techniques or will be able to learn them quickly and effectively. The successful candidate is expected to maintain highly organized animal records and results and to participate in the preparation of weekly results reports.

Assignments and responsibilities

• In accordance with defined objectives, requirements and approaches, the technician will set-up and conduct technical procedures as well as operate state-of-the-art equipment and instruments, perform pre-designed surgical procedures and perform histological sections and staining following standardized protocols and scan stained histological slides and maintain sample records and organized results. 
• This is a fast-pace research project and it will require the ability to work in a team-oriented environment to communicate with the principal investigators and other team members to move the project forward in the expected time frame.
• The candidate will also perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

The intent of this job description is to provide a representative and level of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. 

Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description. 

Essential Skills

• Willingness and ability to work with rodents is required. 

• Ability to work in a lab team environment with a diverse group of personnel is essential.  

• Experience with tissue culture, histological techniques, andanimal research preferred

• Ability to follow instructions and communicate with the supervisors and other team members to resolve technical issues in a prompt manner.  

• Ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal; follow instructions; and record information accurately. 

• Must have excellent interpersonal skills and strong attention to detail. 

• This position may entail prolonged periods of standing and walking and requires the safe use of toxic chemicals.  

• License/Certification Required: Institutional certification for Duke laboratory personnel (e.g., laboratory safety training, vivarium, etc.)

Position Requirements

Education/Training

Work generally requires skills acquired through the completion of a bachelor's degree in botany, biology, zoology, psychology or other science related scientific field program. 

Experience

Work requires no experience.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Work generally requires a bachelor's degree in botany, biology, zoology, psychology or other directly related scientific field.

None required above education/training requirement. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

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Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.