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Professional Research Assistant

**Requisition Number:** 67003

**Location:** Boulder Colorado

**Employment Type:** Research Faculty

**Schedule:** Full Time

**Posting Close Date:** 30-Sep-2025

Date Posted:

Job Summary

The Sosa Lab in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder invites applications for a Professional Research Assistant (PRA) to join our growing team. The PRA would assist with experiments, animal colony management, and laboratory management and organization. Candidates with previous laboratory experience and strong organizational skills are welcome to apply. Prior experience handling rodents is required.

CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Who We Are

The Sosa Lab studies how the brain forms, stores, and retrieves memories. We are particularly interested in how learning and memory processes change depending on the cognitive and physiological state of the animal - in other words, how does the brain prioritize what to remember according to the demands on the organism? A branch of the lab focuses on a dramatic physiological demand that is extremely understudied: the effects of pregnancy and the postpartum period on the maternal brain. Our research uses behaving rodents (mice and rats) as a model system and spans a variety of systems and circuit neuroscience techniques.

We strive to create a supportive lab environment where all team members are valued and are motivated to work together to tackle challenging scientific problems. We value creativity, communication, transparency, collaboration, and rigorous science. As a new lab, the PRA/lab manager will interact closely with Dr. Sosa, who is committed to providing all lab members with the scientific training and mentorship to help them pursue their career goals. The PRA/lab manager will assist Dr. Sosa and other researchers with experimental work, including handling and training animals. Additional responsibilities include ordering supplies and maintaining lab inventory, scheduling meetings and social events, and general lab organization.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Assist lab members with research experiments:

+ Prepare laboratory reagents and supplies

+ Handle and train animals on behavioral tasks

+ Perform histology, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and other techniques to assist in data collection, including in vivo

+ Assist in neural and behavioral data processing and validation

+ Keep a well-organized lab notebook

Maintain laboratory supplies and resources:

+ Order supplies and track orders

+ Maintain stocks of laboratory consumables

+ Keep laboratory inventory and databases up to date

General lab organization and management:

+ Help schedule meetings and book meeting space

+ Participate in lab meetings

+ Organize lab supplies and layout

+ Coordinate equipment servicing

+ Coordinate lab-sponsored social events

+ Assist Dr. Sosa in onboarding and training new lab members

+ Assist Dr. Sosa with EH&S and safety compliance

Animal colony management:

+ Maintain animal colony and keep appropriate records

+ Manage mouse breeding, weaning, and genotyping

+ Interact with the Office of Animal Resources (OAR), veterinary staff, and IACUC, and help ensure lab compliance with university regulations

What You Should Know

The anticipated start date for this position is October 1, 2025.

What We Can Offer

The annual salary for this full-time position is $40,000 - $45,000, commensurate with education and experience.

Benefits

The University of Colorado offers excellent benefits (https://www.colorado.edu/jobs/benefits) , including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO Pass. The University of Colorado Boulder is one of the largest employers in Boulder County and offers an inspiring higher education environment. Learn more about the University of Colorado Boulder (https://www.colorado.edu/about) .

Be Statements

Be curious. Be inspired. Be Boulder.

What We Require

+ BA or BS degree in biology, neuroscience, bioengineering, or a related field

+ Curiosity and enthusiasm for science

+ Strong organizational and time management skills

+ Strong and timely interpersonal communication skills

+ Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team

+ Prior experience handling or training mice or rats

+ Willingness to learn new skills

+ 1 year prior laboratory experience

Special Instructions

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume or CV

2. Cover Letter with a summary of your prior research experience and interests in the lab (approximately 1-2 paragraphs)

3. Please include contact information for 2 references in your cover letter (used for phone checks)

If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources department using an approved online vendor. If your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit a translated version (if applicable) as an optional attachment.

Note - during the application process, you will separately be asked to provide the contact information for one reference who will be asked to provide letters of recommendation later in the search process. These references may be the same or different than those you list on your phone check document.

For full consideration, please apply by **9/30/2025.** Selected applicants will be further invited for an initial Zoom interview.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs (http://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs) .

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

To apply, visit https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/Professional-Research-Assistant/67003 (https://apptrkr.com/6550784)

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The University of Colorado does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, pregnancy, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.