Job Description

Research Scientist/Senior Research Scientist

We are hiring immediately for a Research Scientist/Senior Research Scientist to join the McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth in Houston, TX 77030. In this position, you will work in the UTHealth Cancer Genomics Core under the direction of Dr. Zhongming Zhao and other senior core personnel. The ideal candidate will have excellent knowledge and skills in molecular biology, genomics, and next-generation sequencing (NGS). She/he will participate in development of protocols for library preparation and sequencing, and independently perform an entire process of NGS and related omics work. She/he will also support core director and manager in preparation of grant applications, account managing, instrument maintenance, and research collaborations.

What We Do Here Changes The World. UTHealth Houston is Texas' resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That's where you come in.

Once You Join Us You Won't Want To Leave. It's because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you'd expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you'll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We Take Care Of Our Employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees' wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary:

Plans, supervises, and directs research, investigation, or other technical operations. Provides technical expertise to facilitate the design, implementation, and analysis of procedures, techniques, and results, which enables investigators to conduct research projects.

Position Key Accountabilities:

1. Determines feasibility of possible projects to ensure results will have a significant impact. Determines project feasibility in terms of staff, time, and resources.
2. Plans and performs quantitative and qualitative research procedures in various areas of biology, chemistry, physics, and other biomedical, dental, or related scientific areas. Identifies the problem through contact with other researchers, practicing physicians, or literature searches. Formulates a problem or project to research. Designs procedures to solve the problem.
3. Conducts experiments using advanced equipment and applying complex techniques. Procedures may include tissue culture, protein purification, enzyme purification, enzyme assays, membrane protein purification, monoclonal antibody analysis, cytogenic analysis, gel electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, immunofluorescent method, radioimmunoassays, biometry, biofeedback, neurotransmitter analysis, biospectrometry, microtomy, liquid, gas and thin layer chromatography, microspectrophotometry, tissue processing, tissue staining, behavioral testing, anesthetic dosage, neurohistochemistry, animal surgery, immunochemistry, gel electrophoresis, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing, electron microscopy, and biophysical assays and measurements.
4. Designs experimental procedures, which may involve examining new techniques, that may improve existing analysis and provide additional capabilities.
5. Evaluates the data from the analysis.
6. Presents results in a written paper for publication, in a presentation at a meeting, or through personal contact with faculty members and other researchers.
7. Maintains lab equipment, assists in necessary repairs, and promotes a safe laboratory environment. Ensures direct reports follow safety procedures and attends basic safety training courses.
8. Provides work direction and guidance to personnel within department. May lead projects and activities.
9. Performs other duties as assigned.

Duties May Also Include:

• Follow the established protocols to perform NGS and related genomics services.
• Maintains accurate and timely records including notebooks, records, databases.
• Manage research protocols and research data.
• Pick up the biospecimen.
• Designs, executes, and interprets the results of complex biomedical and scientific experiments using advanced equipment, complex technique methods, and procedures. Performs research to provide clues for health care professionals to utilize in preventative medicine and in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in the future.
• Formulates and implements new research techniques to enable projects to be carried out efficiently and ensures successful completion of assigned goals.
• Stays abreast of new biomedical progress and technological advances in order to upgrade research skills and produce better and faster results. Researches literature for new biomedical progress and technological advances to upgrade research skills.
• Collaborates and submits research findings for publication to advance the scientific knowledge of others. Results and findings are submitted through written research papers, public presentation at local or national meetings, or personal exchanges with faculty member and other scientists.
• Assists the principal investigator in obtaining grant funds and other types of financial support.

Preferred Skills:

• Excellent knowledge and skills in molecular biology experiments, highly preferred.
• Problem-solving, quick learner, and able to work independently in the wet lab.
• Knowledge of NGS platforms, highly preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, accuracy, scientific professionalism, and deadlines.

Certification/Skills:

None.

Minimum Education:

Doctorate Degree.

Minimum Experience:

Two (2) years of experience in a related research environment and have verifiable publications within the field of the research project.

Physical Requirements:

Exerts up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. This position may include work involving potentially hazardous chemical, biological or radioactive agents.

Security Sensitive:

This job class may contain positions that are security sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of Texas Education Code 51.215

Residency Requirement:

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.

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