Research Associate , Molecular & Cell Biology

Job

Main Campus-Berkeley

The Departments of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) and Integrative Biology (IB) together are among the largest academic departments at UC Berkeley. By several measures (including number of faculty and students, budget, and assigned square feet), these departments are larger than many UCB colleges and schools. The two departments represent over 100 faculty FTE (including Adjuncts, Professors of the Graduate School, active emeriti and 11 HHMI professors);

55 Researchers and Specialists; 150 post‑doctoral researchers; 270 graduate students; 100 department staff members; and total state and extramural payroll of approximately 1,000 (including Graduate Student Instructors, Graduate Student Researchers and research staff). Financial resources include approximately $55M in annual extramural funding (which accounts for over half of the total sponsored research awards in the College of Letters & Science) and over $40M other fund sources.

The department has 1,800 declared undergraduate majors (the largest majors on the Berkeley campus) and a total annual enrollment in classes of 20,000. Department personnel are currently housed in eight buildings located in three widely separated parts of the campus.

Staff Research Associate position is available. The position is being offered in a UC Berkeley/MCB research lab broadly in the area of cell biology. The position will involve about 75% of the time on research and 25% of the time on lab management. We are looking for a recent graduate with a major such as Molecular and Cell Biology who is enthusiastic about research, highly motivated, independent, listens to instruction well, and has good people skills.

An upper‑division molecular/cell biology/biochemistry lab course should have been completed. Additional lab experience is helpful but not necessary. This individual will help in the overall organization and operations of the lab so things run smoothly. For research, this person will augment our efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation using genetics in yeast, molecular biology, biochemistry and imaging.

Those skills will be learned in the lab as the candidate is not expected to have already mastered these skills.

The First Review Date for this job is:
January 27, 2026

• Assist with research elucidating molecular mechanisms of chromosome segregation using genetics in yeast, molecular biology, biochemistry and imaging.
• Assist with troubleshooting experimental procedures and make recommendations to solve issues.
• General lab management; ensures lab is organized and operations run smoothly.
• Perform routine equipment cleaning and maintenance of equipment and assist with arrangements of repairs as necessary.
• Keep laboratory equipment inventory updated.
• Assist PI with purchase of new equipment.

• Undergraduate degree in field such as biochemistry, cell biology.
• Experience in upper division laboratory class and/or in research lab.
• Bachelor's degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs.

It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $27.85 (Step
1) – $28.50 (Step
2).

• This is a full‑time (40…