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Job Title

Assistant Research Scientist- Kirchner Lab

Agency

Texas A&M University Health Science Center

Department

Medical Physiology

Proposed Minimum Salary

$3,750.00 monthly

Job Location

Bryan, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment by promoting a culture that respects all perspectives, talents & lived experiences. Embracing varying opinions and perspectives strengthens our core values which are: Respect, Excellence, Leadership, Loyalty, Int

egrity, and Selfless Service.

Who we are

As one of the fastest-growing academic health centers in the nation, Texas A&M Health encompasses five colleges and numerous centers and institutes working together to improve health through transformative education, innovative research and team-based health care delivery.

What we want

The Assistant Research Scientist, under general supervision, conducts independent research into their field of expertise. Utilizes techniques and strategies taught to them by their education and experiences to work towards solving the question presented by their research project. Writes and may contribute to research papers, articles, and publications. Assists with the preparation and cleaning of worksite. May collaborate with other researchers and/or faculty.

What you need to know

Other Requirements and Factors: May have to work on the weekend and/or after normal hours.Travel: May travel as required.

Required Education and Experience:

+ Appropriate PhD in neuroscience, neurophysiology, or a related field.

+ Relevant professional experience

Required Licenses and Certifications:

+ May vary with research area.

Preferred Qualifications:

+ Brain slice electrophysiology: Prepping solutions for recordings, cutting live brain slices on a vibratome, and performing voltage and current clamp recordings in neurons.

+ Using optogenetics, photolytic uncaging, chemogenetics, fluorescent biosensors, electrical stimulation, and application of pharmacologic compounds during patch clamp experiments.

+ Maintaining the electrophysiology rig, keeping accurate records of experiments, performing data analysis, and creating figures for publications and grants.

+ Calcium imaging: Utilizing calcium dyes or genetically encoded calcium sensors (i.e. GCaMP) to measure and quantify intracellular calcium levels in a live brain slice preparation.

+ Performing these experiments simultaneously with patch clamp.

+ Rodent survival surgery: Stereotaxic delivery of AAVs encoding fluorescent tracers, DREADDs or opsins to be used in electrophysiology experiments.

+ Coronary ligation (heart failure surgery) for studying the disease in electrophysiology experiments.

+ Immunohistochemistry (IHC)

+ Transcardial perfusion, fixation, cryostat sectioning, staining, and mounting tissue specimens.

+ Visualization and analysis of IHC imaging data

+ Multiunit electrophysiological experiments, particularly using Neuropixels

+ Software Expertise and Data Analysis: pCLAMP, ImageJ, MatLab

+ Additional expertise using Igor Pro, SigmaPlot, OriginLab, Imaris, Prism, and Adobe Illustrator is a plus.

+ Training other laboratory members in techniques listed above..

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

+ Excellent verbal and written skills.

+ Presentation skills.

+ Analytical skills.

+ Attention to detail.

+ Must be able to work independently as part of a multidisciplinary collaborative

+ team.

+ Ability to work cooperatively with others.

Responsibilities:

Research

+ Conducts independent research into their field of expertise.

+ Utilizes knowledge and skills granted to them by their education and experience to complete research projects in their field of expertise.

+ Assists with the preparation and cleaning of worksite.

+ Analyzes research data and summarizes results.

+ Writes and may contribute to research papers, articles, and publications.

+ Assists with grant acquisition.

Mentoring

+ May assist student researchers, Postdoctoral Associate Researchers, and/or graduate students who are working on research related to the project.

Presentations

+ Prepares presentation materials on research topic that may be presented to small and/or large groups.

+ Actively participates in the preparation of required technical progress reports to research sponsors.

Professional Development

+ Applies for career-appropriate grants and fellowships under the guidance of the PI.

+ Travels to scientific conferences to give presentations.

Why Texas A&M University?

We are a prestigious university with strong traditions, Core Values, and a community of caring and collaboration.  Amenities associated with a major university, such as sporting and cultural events, state-of-the-art recreation facilities, the Bush Library and Museum, and much more await you.  Experience all that a big city has to offer but with a reasonable cost-of-living and no long commutes.

+ Medical, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/medical/) prescription drug, dental, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/dental/) vision, life and AD&D, (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/life-add/) flexible spending accounts , and long-term disability insurance (https://www.tamus.edu/benefits/long-term-disability/) with Texas A&M contributing to employee health and basic life premiums

+ 12-15 days (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/index.html) of annual paid holidays

+ Up to eight hours of paid sick leave (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/paid/sick.html)   and at least  eight hours of paid vacation (https://employees.tamu.edu/employee-relations/leave/paid/vacation.html)   each month

+ Automatic enrollment in the  Teacher Retirement System of Texas (https://www.trs.texas.gov/Pages/Homepage.aspx)

+ Health and Wellness: Free exercise programs and release time (https://flourish.tamu.edu/wellness-release-time/)

+ Professional Development: All employees have access to free   LinkedIn Learning (https://linkedinlearning.tamu.edu/)   training, webinars, and limited financial support to attend conferences, workshops, and more

+ Educational release time and tuition assistance (https://livingwell.tamu.edu/employee-tuition-assistance)  f or completing a degree while a Texas A&M employee

+ Living Well, (https://livingwell.tamu.edu/) a program at Texas A&M that has been built by employees, for employees

Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered, or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.