What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Lab Technician II, Gerontology position at Wake Forest Baptist Health?
JOB SUMMARY
Under direct supervision from a higher-level technician or a principal investigator, performs a variety of moderately complex and generally standardized physical, chemical, or biological tests with procedures and techniques previously outlined by established protocols and other scientific data. Provides direction and guidance to lab staff.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in biology, Chemistry, Zoology, or other related science, or high school diploma with four years of related clinical/ research experience. Computer proficiency and experience with laboratory software are recommended.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Conducts generally standardized chemical, physical, and biological tests on experimental/clinical materials.
- Collects tissues and specimens for laboratory analysis; assist laboratory team in the collection of tissue using biopsy instruments in a clinic atmosphere. Obtain various tissue types and archive these samples according to study protocols. Examples include, but are not limited to dissection, weighing, snap freezing, and fixation for embedding.
- Schedule and pick-up biospecimen, organize study samples for short- and long-term biorepository storage or shipping, and enter data into data management sheets for the lab’s biorepository.
- Complete protocols and tasks needed for histology on tissues including, staining slides for target markers, entering slides for processing with core processing labs and tracking imaged slides in centralized database.
- Ability to use computer for image analysis and learn to analyze images using digital pathology software. Maintain, organize, and upload digital images and manage service requests from the virtual microscope core. Ability to manage different imaging file types and transfer files between shared drives for analysis and image-based digital biobank.
- Assist with biomarker assays using automated Immunoassay systems. Help to retrieve data files and prepare detailed reports after assay run. Keep up with inventory of consumable items to run assays in a proficient timetable for research projects.
- Able to use appropriate experimental/clinical format from established standard formats. Prepare simple charts, graphs, and reports from data obtained during experiments.
- Perform general lab techniques related to data analysis and generating data reports for manuscript preparation, and scientific lab meeting presentation.
- Trains and demonstrates to graduate students, medical students, and other technical personnel, a variety of technical procedures.
- Review scientific journals, abstracts, and other publications for information applicable to research projects.
- Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.
SKILLS / QUALIFICATIONS
- Ability to listen and communicate effectively
- Basic computer skills
- Knowledge of medical terminology to interact with medical staff regarding laboratory procedures and results
- Knowledge of medical equipment and instruments
- Knowledge of common safety hazards and universal precautions to establish a safe work environment
WORK ENVIRONMENT
- Research laboratory environment
- Frequent exposure to diseases, medicinal preparations and other conditions common in a lab environment
- Must wear protective equipment (gloves, gowns/lab coats, eye protection, face protection)
- Exposure to glass and other breakable objects
- Exposure to animals
