Lab Coordinator II- Tompkins

Classification Title

Lab Coord-Medical Science II

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related field of science and 2 years of professional experience

Preferred Qualifications

Masters Degree

Position Summary

The employee will be responsible for overseeing the operations of the Tompkins BSL-2 laboratories. This will include ordering supplies and animals, managing animal census, managing expenditures across Tompkins’ numerous accounts, maintaining reagent inventories, and general lab maintenance. They will coordinate with outside vendors and FMD for equipment and laboratory maintenance, and manage all laboratory inspections with UGA and external inspectors. They will package and coordinate shipments with FedEx and other approved shippers. They will be the primary laboratory point of contact for biosafety and animal resources. They will supervise undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as volunteers and junior technicians. Once trained, they will assist with drafting Biosafety protocols, IACUC protocols, and guidance for Occupational Health and other laboratory training requirements. They will track training and approvals for all laboratory personnel. They will be responsible for keeping, managing, and overseeing laboratory notebooks.

They will also be proficient in traditional biological and virological methods and assays for a BSL2 laboratory. These laboratory techniques include, but are not limited to, cell culture, virus culture, supernatant harvesting, protein purification, western blots, protein quantification, ELISA, ELISpot assay, flow cytometry, and experimental endpoint assays. They will also be experienced in working with small laboratory animal models (e.g., mice). They will have strong communication and organizational skills and utilize Outlook, Teams, and other laboratory software.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Detail-oriented and accurate for both experimental activities and lab manager activities.
• Strong organizational skills for themselves and a laboratory
• Good financial acumen to manage budgets, procurement, and laboratory finances.
• Strong communication skills with both supervised personnel and their supervisor
• Ability to learn and acquire new procedures/skills and solve routine technical problems.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work assignments, working independently with limited supervision.
• Ability to train others effectively and efficiently in the laboratory
• Laboratory skills, including aseptic technique, cell culture, serological and other endpoint assays, and basic analytical skills.
• Knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams).

Physical Demands

• Lift and carry up to 40 pounds, both assisted and unassisted.
• Frequently move between facilities, often in different buildings
• Sit or stand for long periods of time and use repetitive actions during the workday
• Utilize computer equipment for long periods of time

Duties/Responsibilities

• Organize and assist in implementation of research projects, including data collection, assay development and completion, and execution of projects.
• Perform scientific techniques in a BSL2 laboratory, such as virus plaque, TCID50, neutralization, and agglutination inhibition. Also perform techniques such as PCR, cell culture, and ELISA.
• Produce, purify, and characterize recombinant proteins.
• Conduct complex research experiments when assigned by supervisor.
• Oversee and complete ABSL2 animal work.
• Oversee laboratory personnel to ensure safe and proficient BSL2 laboratory operations.

Percentage of time: 25

• Develop and maintain Biosafety, IACUC, and other approvals.
• Develop, maintain, and implement laboratory SoPs for experimental procedures and laboratory operations.
• Oversee laboratory personnel training and ensure all personnel are current for required training and approvals.
• Supervise and train new personnel, confirming proficiency in BSL2 laboratory and animal techniques (utilizing UGA resources for training as needed).
• Serve as Point of Contact for Biosafety, Animal Resources, IACUC, and external regulatory and stakeholder groups.

Percentage of time: 20

• Oversee and complete laboratory ordering through approved vendors and/or UGA systems. Maintain budgets for projects and ensure appropriate spending on correct projects, and enable efficient budget closeouts each year.
• Work with the laboratory PI and Center Business Manager to keep updated and accurate accounts.

Percentage of time: 15

• Maintain inventories of chemicals, reagents, media, infectious agents, recombinant proteins, antibodies, DNA constructs, bacteria, and other laboratory supplies.
• Oversee testing of inventories and maintenance of inventories by all lab personnel.
• Coordinate and support FedEx and other external shipping.

Percentage of time: 10

• Maintain and oversee electronic laboratory notebooks (eLN) for the laboratory (including reagent inventory).
• Train users and review laboratory personnel (eLN) use.

Percentage of time: 10

• Oversee and contribute to maintaining an organized, tidy, and safe laboratory and working environment. Oversee and contribute to shared laboratory duties and responsibly use and maintain laboratory equipment.

Percentage of time: 10

• Professionally and respectfully interact with all personnel and collaborators. Professionally work with students, Postdocs and other research personnel. Professionally communicate with the laboratory PI and enable the success of the research program.

Percentage of time: 10