Job Description

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

RESEARCH TECHNICIAN I-III

The laboratory of Dr. Edward Miao is looking for an organized and professional person to perform laboratory management functions. This is an essential position in our lab that supports all the researchers in the lab. The lab manager is a trusted member of our team, without whom the lab cannot function. The lab manager supports all the research projects in the lab, and their work is acknowledged by inclusion as an author in lab publications. Our lab cannot function without the lab manager, so this is a position of high responsibility and respect in our team essentially functioning as the right-hand person for Dr. Miao to run the lab. The person filling this position needs to have the ability to be highly professional and responsible. Responsibilities include maintaining a significant mouse colony, purchasing, lab organization, and supervising other laboratory personnel who work in the mouse colony. There is a great deal of independence in the work performed, requiring the ability to organize daily functions with minimal direct supervision. The lab manager needs good communication skills to organize purchase, mouse breeding, and equipment that support researchers in the group. The lab manager is also the direct supervisor of another lab member whose primary function is to work with the mice to maintain the animal colony, as such, the lab manager needs to have good communications and supervisory skills. The lab manager will also train new lab members in animal handling techniques or other lab functions. Depending on the proficiency of the applicant, the position may also entail research projects.

Education/Training:

Work requires an associate’s degree in botany, biology, zoology, psychology or other science related scientific field. Applicants with a good amount of laboratory experience in biological science labs may not need formal education requirements.

Experience:

Experience in basic biological sciences laboratory is important. Experience with mouse work is a plus but is not required.

Skills:

Organizational skills are essential. Experience with Microsoft Excel would be a strength but is not required.

This position is (insert options below).

• Onsite. The work is performed on-site or at a designated assignment location.

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Work Performed

1. Management of mouse colony: Organize and maintain the Miao lab mouse breeding colony. Currently this colony consists of 50 different strains of knockout mice with over 2000 mice that together occupy over 500 cages. Communicate with lab members to gauge which strains are in greater use, and which can be transitioned to maintenance breeding. Supervise the mouse technician who assists in the maintenance of the mouse colony and performs much of the mouse weaning, breeder set up, and euthanasia of mice that will not be used in experiments. Additionally, the lab manager will regularly perform these tasks in mouse colony upkeep. Add new lab members to IACUC protocols and write some protocol amendments. Regularly coordinate with Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) staff on issues of the mouse colony and train lab personnel to comply with DLAR policies. Organize the import of mouse strains from other institutions. Act as emergency animal contact person.
2. Budget and purchasing: Purchase and receive supplies and equipment. Consult with Dr. Miao and grant managers in monthly meetings to maintain laboratory budget within the funding of grants that support the lab. Purchase lab supplies through Buy@Duke and receive orders and packages. Organize laboratory supplies and equipment.
3. Lab maintenance: Set up instruments, material and apparatus and operate standard laboratory equipment required for specific tests. Maintain standard laboratory equipment. Act as emergency contact if freezers break and respond to moving items into backup freezers. Contact person for other lab emergencies. Maintain the safety of the lab and manage essential lab protocol approvals. These include maintaining chemical inventory and organizing yearly inspections by Duke safety personnel. Perform routine maintenance of laboratory equipment including histologic tissue processors, flow cytometer, microscopes, tissue culture incubators, and other equipment. Organize laboratory areas, freezers, and refrigerators. Assign space in freezers and refrigerators to other laboratory members. Organize the shipment of bacterial cultures to other laboratories when requested.
4. Manage personnel: As mentioned above, directly supervise the lab mouse technician position. Provide orientation for new lab members, including directing them to online training modules, training them in mouse handling, educating them about basic lab safety, and teaching them lab-specific rules for using equipment, and other onboarding tasks.
5. Lab liaison: Interface with others at Duke, including Attend bi-monthly lab contact meeting with other lab managers in the Department of Integrative Immunobiology to enhance inter-lab functions, interface with Engineering and Operations when needed for lab alterations, interface with DLAR, interface with Environmental Health and Safety.

Jack of all trades: A lot of new, sometimes unexpected, issues arise that the lab manager will address. Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

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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.

Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas-an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.