Student Assistant III -The Bliss-Moreau Lab

Job description

Student Assistant III [Title Code 4920]: The Bliss-Moreau Lab

Description: Student assistants in the Bliss-Moreau lab will participate in behavioral and neuroscientific research on affect/emotion and social environment across the lifespan.  Tasks include scoring behavioral data, setting up behavioral testing of monkeys, managing datasets, processing and analyzing histological tissue using stereoinvestigator, and maintaining laboratory spaces in accordance with standard operating procedures.  Students in the lab over the summer will be expected to participate in a weekly lab meeting during which the group discusses science and procedures. Comfort with physical activity in the Davis climate is important as the lab is spread over a number of spaces at the primate center and people and monkeys must move between them, even in the summer heat.  Students will be supervised by more senior laboratory members, including the PI (Bliss-Moreau). 

Qualifications: Majoring in Psychology, NPB, Animal Science, or a related discipline with interest in animal models of emotion, social behavior, and aging biology. Additionally, the ideal candidate fits the following description:1. Is curious and interested in learning more about the neurobiology of aging; 2. Can follow written and verbal directions, particularly those that concern laboratory safety and best practices; 3. Enjoys performing tasks that require attention, patience, and precision; 4. Is diligent with their notes and prioritizes cleanliness and organization in the workspace; 5. Fosters a respectful and collaborative work environment by maintaining open lines of communication with their colleagues. The candidate must also feel comfortable working in a laboratory that works in a hands-on way with rhesus monkeys, and that handles both biohazardous and potentially dangerous chemicals, although direct contact between the student assistant and those hazardous substances will be minimal. No previous laboratory experience is required for this position.

Time Requirement: Summertime commitment is ~20 hours per week to allow students to be trained on lab procedures. Working hours after the summer will be based on the candidate’s availability and performance.