Lab Tech - Dixon Lab

Join to apply for the Hourly Lab Tech - Dixon Lab 2 role at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine

A laboratory technician position is available in the Department of Surgery at Virginia Commonwealth University. The successful candidate will be working in a very active, enthusiastic and highly dynamic pre‑clinical translational research laboratory. We are seeking a highly motivated individual.

• Making of general laboratory reagents (e.g., buffer preparation)
• Laboratory stock maintenance and ordering
• General laboratory maintenance (e.g., glass washing and laboratory tidying as needed)
• Maintain breeding colonies of genetically engineered mice including maintaining accurate and up to date records
• Collect mouse breeding colony tissue samples and processing for genotyping that requires animal handling skills

The applicant should be enthusiastic in expanding their role to include the following:

• Learning and then successfully performing preparation of small animals for anesthesia and surgery, performing the small animal surgeries themselves, drug treatment, monitoring the animal’s recovery after surgery, and required institutional record keeping
• Learning and then successfully performing daily post‑operative animal care with 100% compliance with VCU IACUC protocols and record‑keeping
• Learning and then successfully performing small animal behavioral testing (e.g., motor function, cognition, depression and pain)
• Learning and then successfully performing small animal transcardial perfusions, tissue preparation, cryostat sectioning, fluorescent immunohistochemistry, and stereo logical cell counts
• Learning and then successfully performing fresh tissue dissection, and techniques including Western blotting, QPCR, and flow cytometry
• Learning and then successfully performing in vitro culturing of either cell lines or primary cell cultures
• Learning and then successfully performing molecular biology techniques (e.g., Western blotting, QPCR and ELISA’s)

Hours are expected to be between Monday to Friday (8:30 am – 5:00 pm), although some weekend work will likely be required, as needed (e.g., breeding colony monitoring and potential post‑operative animal care).

• Bachelor's degree in a related field

• General laboratory skills (e.g., buffer preparation)
• Demonstrated ability to keep accurate records (rigorous scientific record‑keeping required)
• Demonstrated ability to perform data entry using Microsoft Excel
• Demonstrated ability to perform tasks with scientific level precision and consistency
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

• Master's degree