Research Professional II

Position Highlights

Dr. Nam Lee's Laboratory seeks a Research Professional II who will support molecular, cellular, and whole animal research investigating cardiac and skeletal muscle via planning, organization, and execution of common molecular biology techniques and specialized functional assays. The incumbent will provide input on design protocols, collect and interpret data, and serve as lab manager in order to coordinate lab activity and maintain safety and organizational standards.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinate lab activities and ensure chemical safety compliance, maintaining chemical inventories, safety records, SOPs, and equipment readiness consistent with institutional and industry standards. Guide and orient undergraduate students and support staff on laboratory procedures and safety expectations, and identify and resolve operational issues of varied complexity.
• Manage multiple transgenic and CRISPR gene-edited mouse lines, coordinating breeding, weaning, husbandry, and tissue-harvest allocation across concurrent projects. Provide technical guidance to student workers on procedures such as PCR genotyping, and maintain the integrity of detailed animal records and databases. Support IACUC compliance for the research program, assisting with protocol documentation and amendments.
• Conduct experiments in support of research projects, contributing to hypothesis development and experimental design in coordination with the PI. Generate quality data and analyze findings using appropriate scientific and statistical methods. Perform and refine molecular, biochemical, and functional assays - including enzyme assays, protein expression and chromatography, electrophoresis, immunoblotting, ELISA, immunohistochemistry, DNA cloning, and muscle tissue measurements - adapting techniques as needed to meet project requirements.
• Contribute to the acquisition of research funding by assisting with grant proposals, supporting documentation, and literature review. Participate in the preparation of manuscripts, articles, and presentations, and provide substantive input on scholarly products. May occasionally present research findings at conferences and scientific meetings.
• Develop and troubleshoot new techniques, protocols, and workflows to improve research quality and efficiency, applying professional judgment to interpret results and resolve technical problems. Review relevant literature, summarize emerging approaches, and provide technical recommendations for the PI's consideration to inform future project design.