Scripps Staff Scientist

The Staff Scientist herein described oversees operations in the laboratory, including serving as liaison to regulatory divisions on campus (e.g., IACUC, Biosafety); negotiating with vendors/service providers, purchasing, and monitoring of expenditures for compliance with cost principles and budget, and ensuring compliance for training for all lab personnel. The incumbent is responsible for conducting scientific experiments (as assigned), working with collaborators of the principal investigator (PI) to allocate space and resources in the lab, maintaining laboratory stocks of organisms and vectors, analyzing data, and preparing it for publication. He/she develops new methods, initiates, and develops new experiments using a variety of technologies, maintains the laboratory’s mouse colonies, and maintains and/or acquires new instrumentation (as required). The approaches utilized include behavioral, tissue and molecular analyses of mouse models of neurodegeneration; mammalian tissue culture; and molecular biology/biochemistry/cloning techniques. Previous experience with mouse dissection and tissue harvest is a plus, but all strong candidates will be considered. Excellent organization, work presentation (in the form of written reports) and communication skills are required.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct laboratory experiments in the main laboratory and in the vivarium environment; follow established procedures to prepare solutions, media, and reagents. using arithmetical calculations for measuring.
• Perform library research to find appropriate procedures, as required; generate, quantify, normalize, and interpret data generated using spectrophotometers, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), nucleic acid and protein techniques, mammalian tissue culture, microbiological and biochemical assays, mouse behavior techniques, mouse tissue dissection (molecular biology and histology analyses) and mass spectrometry.
• Operate standard lab equipment of moderate complexity.
• Prepare reports, graphs, figures, slide presentations, and tables, including recombinant deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) techniques (cloning, hybridization, gene expression, electrophoresis, and PCR); biochemical assays/protein characterization (assays, protein quantification, protein electrophoresis, and protein purification), mass spectrometry, and microbiological manipulations (batch cultivation).
• Statistically analyze lab data using Excel and web-based statistical tools.
• Cleans glassware and other laboratory equipment or materials using appropriate standards; keep laboratory area clean.
• Manage compliance and interactions with regulatory entities, including IACUC and Biosafety. Package waste material and arrange for disposal according to established procedures.
• Prepare IACUC protocols; ensure compliance with UF and federal regulations related to studies that include mouse models. Prepare and submit protocols, continuations, and all required documentation. Respond to IACUC inquiries.
• Maintain records. Complete all documentation associated with lab safety and operations, coordinate lab inspections, and ensure all personnel are properly trained and certified.
• Negotiate with vendors and service providers on equipment purchases and repairs, maintain all laboratory equipment, and train all users in proper use of equipment. Monitor expenditures for compliance with cost principles and to ensure projects stay within budget.
• Manage data sets generated by high-throughput and/or high-capacity technologies (external providers), including microarrays, RNA-Seq, and mass spectrometry; includes distilling large datasets to manageable tables and graphs, and configuring data for analysis using different software tools.
• Use Macintosh and Dell personal computers (PC) to analyze DNA sequences, protein structure and motifs, PCR primers, DNA, and ribonucleic acid (RNA) structure (including use of MacVector and Emboss DNA analysis packages), Real-Time PCR, and Alphalnnotech image analysis.
• Use Excel spreadsheets to analyze data graphically and statistically. Preliminarily analyze data using basic mathematical calculations routinely applied for measuring enzyme activity and kinetics, e.g., converting spectrophotometer reading to units of activity, and calculating specific activity.
• Interpret data with assistance from the PI. Maintain research data in laboratory notebooks and write summary reports, slide presentations and report findings to investigator.

Commensurate with experience. 

Ph.D. in an appropriate scientific discipline required. A minimum of 2 years postdoctoral experience.

• Doctoral degree in Molecular Biology or similar discipline is preferred. 
• Experience in general cell and molecular biology skills, including mammalian cell culture, Western blotting, PCR, cloning, and basic microscopy.
• Experience with mouse experimentation, including dissection.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills and a strong attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter, and resume.

Please provide names and email addresses of three to five references as part of the application process. When ready, the hiring department will contact the listed references via email requesting their reference letters to be uploaded directly to the application website.

This position is open until filled.  Application review will begin September 26, 2023. 

This is a time-limited position.