Ashouri Lab - Junior Research Specialist

The Ashouri Lab has an opening for a junior research specialist who is interested in understanding how immune tolerance is broken in autoimmune diseases. Our lab is focused on understanding the T cell dysregulation that drives human autoimmune disease. We utilize mouse models, human samples, along with molecular, cell-based, genetic, and multi-omic technologies including paired single-cell RNA and TCR-sequencing. A major driving force of the lab is to identify the TCR specificities, gene expression profile, and signaling networks of cells involved in antigen recognition in autoimmune diseases.

The research candidate will contribute to new and ongoing projects in the lab. A junior research specialist will be expected to assist with managing day-to-day lab operations, perform general lab duties, maintain the mouse colony (of which genotyping is included), and be a positive lab citizen. We are looking for someone who is conscientious, eager to learn, reliable, and can work independently on troubleshooting and resolving experimental problems. The successful candidate will have the exciting opportunity to build on prior lab experience to learn about cell biology and immunology in an academic laboratory setting. The Ashouri Lab is composed of a collaborative multidisciplinary team of immunologists, molecular biologists, microbiologists, and computational biologists. The research specialist will report directly to Dr. Judith Ashouri-Sinha, MD, but will work closely with collaborators within and outside of the group. An exceptional research specialist will lead their own independent project, develop new ideas, become familiar with the literature, and be an active, hands-on contributor to the Ashouri Lab. Candidates interested in pursuing MD, PhD, or MD/PhD training will benefit most from this laboratory experience.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required
• Excellent organizational and interpersonal communication skills (verbal and written).
• Willingness and ability to learn new methods and skills for changing research priorities.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a research team.
• Ability to prioritize tasks, coordinate work tasks with others, and meet multiple deadlines.
• Familiarity with standard wet lab techniques (e.g. preparation of reagents/chemicals, basic tissue culture, PCR, western blot, DNA/RNA purification) and/or computational analysis of large datasets.
• Specialists appointed at the Junior rank must have (or be in process of obtaining) a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) or at least four years of research experience.
• Specialists appointed at the Assistant rank must have (or be in process of obtaining) a master’s degree (or equivalent degree) or a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent degree) with at least three or more years of research experience.

Preferred
• Prior experience working with mice, performing mouse injections
• Prior experience in flow cytometry or other immune profiling methods
• Prior experience in aseptic tissue culture, western blotting, PCR
• Prior experience in high throughput sequencing and analysis
• Prior experience in the design and assembly of DNA constructs

We are seeking at least a 2-year commitment. Depending on performance and workload, opportunities for independent research, mentorship of other trainees, and scientific writing will be available. Applicants must meet requirements by the time of appointment.

The Ashouri Lab is located at the University of California, San Francisco Parnassus Medical Center Campus, conveniently located in the Inner Sunset. Our lab is within the Immunology & Microbiology community enabling engagement with a rich group of investigators and access to cutting-edge resources for promoting immunologic research. Candidates interested in this position should apply online at https://aprecruit.ucsf.edu/JPF04924. Applicants’ materials must list current and/or pending qualifications upon submission. See Table 24B for the salary range for this position. A reasonable estimate for this position is $51,300-$65,900.