"Research Specialist"

Job Details

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

The Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute is seeking a Research Specialist within the Johns Hopkins University Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. It is the hub for a community of multidisciplinary researchers dedicated to treating, controlling, and eradicating this deadly disease. The Institute comprises 16 full-time faculty that pursue biomedical research on different aspects of malaria, and three administrative support staff. The JHMRI is directed by Jane Carlton and a team of four deputy directors, and the JHMRI's activities are reviewed annually by a Scientific Advisory Board comprised of world-class scientists. JHMRI runs three annual symposia widely recognized as premier events that inform and inspire the malaria research community.

This in-person position is within Director Jane Carlton's laboratory at BSPH in Baltimore, MD. The position focuses on running Dr. Carlton's wet lab with heavy involvement in the Plasmodium vivax malaria project with collaborating sites in Ethiopia. The position reports to and takes directions from Jane Carlton. The Research Specialist will oversee and manage the Carlton lab and handle sample shipments received from Ethiopia and Zambia, processing, storage, and downstream workflow for the Pv malaria Ethiopia project.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Wet lab research, including human sample processing, parasite culture, molecular biology, serology, and omics assays, to support the Pv malaria Ethiopia project and other Carlton Lab projects as needed.
• Administrative and organizational oversight of the Carlton wet lab including ordering and maintenance of equipment.
• Academic participation in Carlton lab meetings and training of students and/or project personnel in Baltimore and/or Ethiopia.
• Maintenance of parasite cultures and storage.
• Coordinating sample shipments to/from field sites, other collaborators and to omics companies.
• Running molecular biology, serology, and omics assays as needed including sample processing, storage, shipping to omics companies, and the development and optimization of new assays and workflows to be implemented in Ethiopia.
• General maintenance of lab space, equipment, reagents, and consumables.
• Put in any work orders or cleaning orders for Carlton lab space(s) as needed.
• Scheduling and overseeing PM or repair visits for all equipment, including the annual pipette calibration.
• Keeping inventory of all lab supplies, reagents, and consumables.
• All lab and bioinformatics suite ordering.
• Retrieval of all packages / deliveries from the biology office.
• Overseeing LN2 tank and sample dewar, including daily monitoring of system and ordering new tanks as needed.
• Overseeing refrigerators and freezers, including organization and labeling, defrosting as needed, and setting up and maintaining the alarm / alert system.
• Shipping and receiving biological samples and/or reagents on dry ice or ice packs.
• Participation and presentation at weekly Carlton lab meetings.
• Literature searches as needed to support wet lab project(s).
• Writing, including reports and text for manuscripts.
• Mentorship and/or support of students and other trainees as needed, including those in Ethiopia if interested in traveling to the project field sites.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
• Opportunities for onsite work in Ethiopia pending ability and interest.
• Opportunities for participating in educational initiatives are possible, depending on the successful applicant’s experience and interest.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Chemistry, or related field.
• One year of laboratory experience performing relevant techniques.
• Additional education may substitute for the required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond High School Diploma or graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• A strong understanding of biology, microbiology, and wet lab research operations and best practices is required.
• Excellent written, verbal, and organizational skills.
• Proven experience in conducting wet lab research projects independently, successfully, and safely.
• Strong multi-tasking and interpersonal skills.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Ability to trouble shoot, problem solve, propose solutions, and anticipate problems.
• Ability to meticulously document daily work in writing (i.e., lab notebook).

Classified Title: Research Specialist

Role/Level/Range: ACRP/03/MA

Starting Salary Range: $17.11-$31.25 HRLY ($65,000 Targeted; Commensurate w/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Location: School of Public Health

Department name: W Harry Feinstone Dpt Molec Mblgy Imlgy

Personnel area: School of Public Health

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

During the Influenza ("the flu") season, as a condition of employment, The Johns Hopkins Institutions require all employees who provide ongoing services to patients or work in patient care or clinical care areas to have an annual influenza vaccination or possess an approved medical or religious exception. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of employment.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Note: Job Postings are updated daily and remain online until filled.

EEO is the Law

Learn more:

https://www1.eeoc.gov/employers/upload/eeoc_self_print_poster.pdf

Important legal information

http://hrnt.jhu.edu/legal.cfm