Senior Research Specialist – Spurgeon Lab

The Organization

As an independent research organization, the Morgridge Institute for Research explores uncharted scientific territory to discover tomorrow’s cures. In affiliation with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we support researchers who take a fearless approach to advancing human health in emerging fields such as virology, advanced multi-scale fluorescence and electron microscopy, metabolism and regenerative biology. Through public programming, we work to inspire scientific curiosity in everyday life.

The Opportunity:

We are seeking a highly motivated, curious, and organized research analyst with experience in animal research, molecular biology, and/or tissue culture techniques. The Spurgeon Lab utilizes in vitro models that incorporate specialized epithelial cell culture techniques as well as in vivo murine models to study the replication and pathogenesis of human tumor viruses, as well as their role in causing cancer.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist in establishing a new laboratory and oversee daily laboratory tasks
• Manage and maintain animal colony (mouse); perform general animal husbandry; generation and maintenance of several transgenic mouse lines; maintain laboratory animal records and ensure accordance with all approved animal procedures and in      compliance with required regulations
• Perform technical animal procedures including viral infection and surgery; sample collection and processing; prepare samples and tissues for downstream analyses (PCR, histology, sequencing, etc)
• Document and collect information and data through observation, experimentation, and various other methods; operate technical laboratory instruments and equipment
• Evaluate and interpret collected data and experimental results; perform data analyses; prepare high-quality reports, figures, and presentations detailing observations, methods, complications/troubleshooting, interpretations, and conclusions
• Guide lab members through laboratory and animal training requirements; assist in hands-on training of lab members in laboratory protocols and animal husbandry/surgical methods and techniques
• Maintain laboratory biosafety, chemical safety, and animal use protocols; confer with principal investigator regarding necessary updates to research/animal protocols based on current experiments
• Rigorous organization and maintenance of lab supplies, equipment, and records.
• Supervise, train, and instruct less experienced personnel and students in laboratory techniques and procedures.
• Maintain laboratory equipment and train others on its use.
• Review scientific literature to remain up-to-date on new developments and to obtain information regarding previous experiments to aid in the design and development of novel procedures and techniques.
• Perform additional duties related to the work described herein.

Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the primary duties.

Education and Experience

• Minimum Bachelor’s degree in biology, microbiology, or other directly related scientific field
• Work requires 5 years or more of research experience and/or post-bachelor’s degree education.
• Co-authored contributions to primary research publications
• Previous animal handling experience necessary

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Experience with experiments using research animals
• Strong background in biology and/or virology research, including BSL2-level work
• Proficiency in sterile technique and tissue culture necessary
• Experience with specialized epithelial cell culture and organotypic cultures desirable but not necessary
• Ability to perform reproducible experiments in animals, tissue culture, and molecular biology techniques
• Working knowledge of data and image analysis
• Must have the ability to work both independently and part of a dynamic research team and have strong interpersonal skills
• Commitment to the highest standards of good lab citizenry
• Strong written and oral communication skills are essential
• Knowledge and skills relevant to lab organization and management

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

• Standing for long periods of time is required
• Work is normally performed in a wet laboratory environment
• No or very limited physical effort is required
• No or very limited exposure to physical risk

In order to insure the safety of our workplace, proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required unless an exemption is granted for medical, disability or religious reasons.