Laboratory Research Assistant

** Job Posting

Title:

** Laboratory Research Assistant**---
- **** Hiring Department:
** Department of Marine Science**---
- **** Position Open To:
** All Applicants**---
- **** Weekly Scheduled

Hours:

** 40**---
- **** FLSA Status:
** Non-Exempt**---
- **** Earliest

Start Date:

** Jan 05, 2026**---
- **** Position Duration:
** Expected to Continue Until Jul 31, 2026**---
- ***
* Location:

** MARINE SCIENCE INSTITUTE**---
- **** Job Details:**## General Notes This position will be located in Port Aransas, Texas. Only applicants authorized to work in the United States will be considered.

The goal of the overall project is to investigate the importance of intertidal mangroves on the Texas coast as sources of atmospheric methane. The main goal of this position is to determine where in association with mangrove plants (e.g., within mangrove tissue, surrounding mangrove soils) microbial methane production takes place.## Responsibilities
* Conduct multi-disciplinary field work to study the coastal methane cycle.
* Extract DNA and RNA from mangrove tissue and mangrove soil.
* Quantify populations of methane-cycling microorganisms using real-time PCR.
* Perform metabarcoding and DNA sequence analyses of methane-cycling microbial populations in mangrove tissue and mangrove soil
* Analysis of stable carbon isotopic compositions of methane and other carbon compounds present in environmental samples.##

Required Qualifications
* High school diploma or equivalent
* Prior experience in the extraction of DNA or RNA.
* Prior experience in the analysis of DNA sequences.
* Prior experience using R or other programming language(s) (e.g. Matlab, Python, Linux).
* Basic organizational and computer skills (MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
* Ability to work in a team of researchers with various backgrounds.
* Basic swimming skills.##

Preferred Qualifications
* Bachelor's degree in marine, biological, or environmental science, or environmental engineering.
* Prior experience in the phylogenetic analysis of DNA or RNA sequences from complex environmental samples.
* Prior experience in the bioinformatic analysis of metabarcoded DNA or RNA sequences from complex environmental samples.
* Prior experience doing field work.## Driving Required This job requires a class "C" operator's driver's license. The applicant selected must provide a current three-year driving record from the current state of residence. Employees who are required to have a CDL are subject to drug and alcohol testing (pre-employment, post-accident, reasonable suspicion, random, return-to-duty, and follow-up drug and alcohol testing).## Salary Range $31,200## Working Conditions
· May work in all weather conditions.
· May work in extreme temperatures.
· May work around chemical fumes.
· May work around standard office conditions.
· May work around chemicals.
· May work around electrical and mechanical hazards
· Will work in up to 15-ft deep estuarine waters driving small research boats
· Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
· Use of manual dexterity.
· Climbing of stairs.
· Lifting and moving.## Required Materials
· Letter of interest
· Resume/CV
· 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
** Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers:
** You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded.

Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.
** Important for Current university employees and contingent workers:
** As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left hand navigation menu and then update the…