Research Specialist - Dr. Lai's lab

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The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (www.pharmacy.unc.edu) is one of six health science schools (Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, Social Work, Public Health, Medicine) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is one of the oldest health science academic programs at Chapel Hill. The School teaches approximately 600 PharmD students and 145 graduate students. The School has built a reputation for its continued pursuit of excellence, rigorous education and training programs, cutting-edge multidisciplinary research, progressive pharmacy practices, efficient business operations, and its outstanding faculty, staff, and students. The School was named the number one School of Pharmacy in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report. The School has experienced unprecedented growth and success and continues to strategically position itself for sustained impact, as articulated in the School's Strategic Plan (https://pharmacy.unc.edu/about/oe/strategic-plan/).

Our Vision is to be the global leader in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. Our Mission is to prepare leaders and innovators to solve the world's most pressing health care challenges. We are Advancing Medicine for Life through innovation and collaboration in pharmacy practice, education, research, and public service.

The Lai lab at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks a Temporary Research Specialist to support various ongoing projects in antibody engineering, viral vector engineering, and/or bacteriophage biology and gut microbiome engineering. The position is responsible to perform routine-to-intermediate molecular biology, microbiology and cell biology workflows, maintain accurate documentation, and help ensure smooth lab operations through inventory tracking and maintenance of reagents and labware.

The successful candidate will work closely with the PI and lab members to execute established protocols, maintain a clean and safe work environment, and contribute to reproducible, well-documented experimental outcomes. The Lai Lab has a strong track record of advancing innovations at the interface of immunology and engineering into clinical applications, with numerous inventions from the lab currently undergoing active clinical and preclinical development. We broadly welcome applications from top applicants who can contribute unique expertise towards this effort.

Key Responsibilities

Perform common molecular biology techniques. For assays focusing on nucleic acids, this includes techniques such as DNA production, purification and cleanup (e.g., plasmid preps, PCR cleanup), restriction digests, ligations, cloning, gel electrophoresis, PCR, and qPCR. For assays focusing on proteins, this includes production and purification of proteins and antibodies, gel electrophoresis, and ELISA.

Perform common microbiology techniques such as preparation of media/agar plates; sterile technique; streaking and isolation; glycerol stocks; bacterial culturing (including strains used for phage work).

Perform common cell biology techniques such as cell culture.

Support bacteriophage workflows such as plaque assays, titrations, lysate prep, and basic phage handling following established lab SOPs.

Support viral vector (i.e. non-infectious viral proteins derived vehicles for delivery of nucleic acids) workflows, such as vector titering, flow cytometry, and vector production/purification following established lab SOPs

Support protein/antibody workflows, such as production, purification and characterization of proteins following established lab SOPs.

Maintain detailed experimental notes and organize data files in lab-standard formats.

Manage lab inventory: track consumables, reagents, and plastics; proactively address low stock.

Prepare buffers/media and maintain common lab reagents.

Assist with routine lab organization, equipment upkeep, and general lab cleanliness.

Follow EHS/biosafety requirements and maintain safe lab practices.

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Prior hands-on experience with bacteriophage techniques (e.g., plaque assays); and bacterial culturing and cloning workflows ( PCR, plasmid prep, gel electrophoresis, transformations).

Prior experience with microbiome-relevant workflows (e.g., anaerobic technique, sample processing); and inventory management/order tracking in a research lab.

Familiarity with basic data handling (spreadsheets; clear file naming/versioning).

Please submit a Resume/CV with a cover letter describing your lab experience and interest in phage/microbiome work, as well as contact information for 1-3 references.

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.