"Research Technician II, Microbiology and Immunology"

Position Summary

The Research Technician II position is immediately available in the labs of Dr. Yolanda Huang and Dr. Ryan Hunter in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology.

About the Huang Lab:

Research in the Huang lab focuses on uncovering novel pathways important for fitness in gut anaerobes and bacteria-phage interactions using interdisciplinary approaches. The overall goal is to advance our understanding of the gut microbiota at the molecular level by identifying mechanisms that we can leverage to modulate microbiota composition and function. We leverage cutting-edge techniques, including LC-MS/MS, genetics, DNA barcoding, next-gen sequencing, and functional genomics.

About the Hunter Lab:

Research in the Hunter lab focuses on how the airway microenvironment shapes bacterial physiology during chronic infection. We are using LC-MS-based approaches to define how bacterial metabolomes and cell envelope composition respond to host-associated conditions and microbial interactions. This work integrates microbial genetics, anaerobe cultivation, and multi-omic analyses to uncover mechanisms that drive persistence and pathogenic behavior in chronic airway disease.

Responsibilities:

Maintaining, running, and developing methods for the LC-MS instrument qTOF, and supporting lab functions and research needs. The candidate will participate in the design and execution of experiments and/or computational analyses and is expected to contribute to publications. This may include bacterial genetics, molecular cloning, bacteria and phage cultivations (aerobic and anaerobic), protein, lipid, and cell wall purifications, bioinformatics, and various -omic techniques. The lab is committed to the success of all members and provides close mentorship and opportunities for research and career development.

The ideal candidate will have research experience in microbiology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or a related field, as well as hands-on experience using a high-resolution LC-MS instrument. Experience in any of the following areas would be an asset: bacteria and/or phage isolation and cultivation, microbial genetics, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, assay development, analytical chemistry (HPLC), sequencing, and bioinformatics.

Minimum Qualifications

• An Associates degree or two years formal training in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or a related field
• Three years experience directly related to the project
• A equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of the requirement

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or a related field
• Experience in bacteria or phage cultivation, molecular biology, analytical chemistry
• Experience in experimental work
• Self-motivation, ability to work independently and collaborate within a team, time-management and organizational skills, strong communication skills

Salary Range

$40,000 - $55,000

Benefits | University at Buffalo community