Technician B

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: SSA
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $53,394.17 - $53,394.17

Position Summary

The Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center seeks a dynamic Technician B with a background in biological research to join a vibrant research lab that conducts research into malaria. The research technician will play a key role in our investigations into mechanisms of Plasmodium falciparum parasite resistance to antimalarial drugs. The work will involve assessing resistance liabilities for antimalarial compounds in the preclinical stages of discovery or development. Specifically, this will include culturing malaria parasites, performing drug dose-response assays, generating drug-resistant parasites, sequencing target genes, and interpreting whole-genome sequence data. This work is supported by Medicines for Malaria Venture, a Geneva-based not for profit organization that leads the global antimalarial discovery and development pipeline. All projects are collaborative studies involving postdoctoral scientists, graduate students, research technicians and the group leader Dr. David Fidock working as a tightly integrated team.

The hired research technician will work in a vibrant environment of ~15 researchers recruited from around the world. Our group is well-funded, very interactive, and highly productive in publications per year (see Fidock Lab at www.fidock.org and https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Fidock+D). Our research technicians typically continue into PhD, MD, or MD/PhD programs upon having completed two years of research in the lab. We seek applicants who are highly motivated, self-sufficient, interactive, detail-oriented, passionate about infectious diseases research and global health, and who enjoy genetics and cell biology research.

To be considered, applicants should include their CV including a summary of research experience, transcript, and statement of interest

Responsibilities

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  Assist with general lab management including exchanging materials with outside collaborators and ensuring equipment is regularly serviced and maintained.

  
  
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  Responsible for assuring that reagents related to their work are properly stored and cataloged and will help with overall lab management.

  
  
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  Strong organizational skills and a detail-oriented mindset are required to perform well in this position.

  
  
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  Opportunity to be involved in cutting-edge research into defining the genetic basis of drug resistance for a disease that has a vast impact on the tropical regions of the world (with over 263 million cases and 597,000 deaths yearly, mostly affecting African children younger than five).

  
  
• Conduct parasite culture work, conduct molecular, genetic biochemistry projects, analyze and prepare data.
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned/requested.

Minimum Qualifications

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  Requires a bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or related science, or equivalent in education, training and experience.

  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master's degree is preferred but not essential.
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  Research experience and technical proficiency in molecular biology and/or cell culture is preferred but not essential.

  
  

Other Requirements

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  Must have undergraduate university course work in molecular biology, biochemistry, microbiology or genetics.

  
  

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.