Staff Research Associate

Job Summary

The Physiology Department is hiring for a  Staff Research Associate. The Staff Research Associate I will provide support for histological studies in the gut. The  Staff Research Associate I will work closely with lab members to carry out experiments and analyze data.

% of time	Essential Function (Yes/No)	Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor)
40	yes	Under supervision, perform experiments with mice to study the role of adrenergic receptor signaling in the gut in stress-induced visceral pain. Perform RNAscope in situ hybridization and related immunostaining on intestinal and related tissues, including tissue collection, fixation, sectioning, staining, and imaging. Responsible for the full data workflow for the experiments, including choosing appropriate statistical tests (e.g., t-tests, ANOVA, or nonparametric equivalents) for RNAscope quantification data, performing the calculations in GraphPad Prism or R, compiling results across animals and conditions, and preparing figures and tables for lab meetings and manuscripts.
20	yes	Acquire images using brightfield, fluorescence, and confocal microscopy; perform image processing and quantification (e.g., ImageJ/Fiji, QuPath)
20	yes	Analyze and organize experimental data, generate figures and summary statistics (e.g., Excel, GraphPad Prism, R or Python), and present results at lab meetings.
20	yes	Maintain detailed lab notebooks, prepare reagents and solutions, and help with general lab organization and ordering. Draft written summaries of experimental rationale, methods, results, and preliminary interpretations, which the principal investigator reviews and incorporates into presentations, grant reports, and publications.
100		(To update total %, enter the amount of time in whole numbers (without the % symbol - e.g., 15, 20) then highlight the total sum (e.g., 1%) at the bottom of the column and press F9. The total sum should add up to 100%.)

Required Qualifications:

BA/BS in biological sciences or a related science and knowledge of, or experience with, the basic techniques or methods required by the position; and/or an equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred Qualifications:

Familiarity with basic concepts in molecular biology and neuroscience.

Familiarity with basic methodologies for assessing gene expression by histological techniques.