Research Scientist/Engineer 1 - University of Washington

Req #: 240643 Department: IMMUNOLOGY Posting Date: 10/30/2024 Closing Info: Open Until Filled Salary: $4,276 - $4,334 per month Shift: First Shift Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701\_a11y.pdf ) As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. The adaptive immune system is characterized by specificity, functional diversity, and memory. These characteristics allow the body to mount a directed response against an individual pathogen for many years after vaccination, but also allows for the propagation of long-lived allergic responses. In the Pepper lab, we study how cells of the adaptive immune system, called CD4+ T cells and B cells, form immunological memory by visualizing their differentiation, retention and function in both mice and humans. The overarching goals of these studies are to both enhance immune memory to design better vaccines and inversely block the formation of immune memory to prevent allergic disease. **POSITION PURPOSE** The lab has an opportunity for a motivated Research Scientist/Engineer 1 who will assist in carrying out routine tasks in the Pepper Lab Insectary to consistently produce high-quality mosquitoes and malaria parasites for use in scientific research. They will perform a variety of tasks to support research in the lab, including maintenance of a mosquito colony and plasmodium stocks. They will assist in the daily husbandry of the mosquito colony, including feeding larvae, collecting pupae, maintaining healthy adults, and transferring the different life stages to their respective cages. They will also assist with housekeeping in the insectary, including keeping work areas clean and tidy, and disinfecting and washing cages and other tools between uses. They will support researchers working in the insectary and perform other duties as assigned. They will follow established safety protocols and may suggest improvements. They will assist in the production of malaria parasites from frozen stocks, including infecting mice and mosquitoes, monitoring the development of the parasite in mice and mosquitoes, and dissecting mosquitoes to harvest parasites. They will perform bite challenge models on mice after antibody injection, including luciferase-based parasite assays and blood stage parasitemia. The appointee should also be able to work independently for 1-2 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. The Research Scientist/Engineer is expected to use established systems/approaches to solve well-defined problems with a limited number of variables and few complex features. The Research Scientist/Engineer will also conduct experiments and tests in the immunology field that include making measurements and recording data. They will work under limited supervision, contribute data for use in reports and publications, and is expected to participate in regular laboratory meetings and events. The successful candidate will translate clear expectations regarding time management and task prioritization into efficient support for the research team. **DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES** 50% - Maintain insectary, including but not limited to: rearing mosquitoes, passaging parasites, infecting mosquitoes from mice, maintaining communication with Dr. Marion Pepper and Dr. Sean Murphy, and maintaining the insectary cost center in conjunction with the Department Administrator. 20% - Basic molecular biology, including PCR, DNA preparation and cloning and general laboratory tasks including the preparation of communal reagents. 15% - Maintain laboratory stocks of malaria parasites (plasmodium). 5% - Organize and analyze research data. 5% - Participate in laboratory meetings. 5% - Perform related duties as required. **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS** Bachelor's Degree in Immunology, Biochemistry, or related field and one year of relevant experience, OR Equivalent combination of education/experience **ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS** + Experience with laboratory mice and mosquitoes, parasites, immunology, and/or tissue culture. + Experience with data analysis and ability to communicate data in both oral written formats. + Excellent organizational, computational and record keeping skills, attention to detail, ability to work independently but within a team environment, and willingness to work with laboratory mice and mosquitoes. + Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills. **Application Process:** The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.