Technician B - Preventive Medicine

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: SSA
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $56,489.86 to $56,489.86

Position Summary

The Zeltser lab is looking for a motivated laboratory technician to join their team. The lab studies how the sympathetic nervous system regulates metabolism and how this is impacted by obesity and aging. We utilize a variety of genetically engineered mouse models, virus-based neural tracing and chemogenetic approaches, single nuclear transcriptomics, and in vivo physiological and metabolic measurements. The ultimate goal is to identify neural circuits that regulate distinct aspects of brown fat and function and systemic metabolism. Duties will include physiological and metabolic assays in mice and neuroanatomical analyses (mounting, staining and imaging brain sections) as well as assisting lab-members with experiments.  

Responsibilities

• Perform daily lab activities and assist lab members with their experiments.
• Assist with mouse colony maintenance.
• Perform neuroanatomical assays including mounting and immunohistochemical staining in sections, clearing and immunostaining in intact brains, and imaging using confocal and light sheet microscopy.
• Perform neurobehavioral and metabolic assays in mice.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.  

Minimum Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in chemistry, biology, physics or related science or equivalent in education, training and/or experience.
• Technical accuracy, reliability, and attention to the details of procedural protocols, organizational skills, adherence to safety guidelines and the ability to work in a team.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills and a strong interest in biological sciences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences preferably with at least 1 year lab experience.
• Well-versed with molecular biology and basic techniques to measure mRNA and protein.
• Experience in mouse handling and colony maintenance highly preferred.
• Experience in basic histological procedures (i.e. immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization) is preferred but not essential. 
• Proficient at performing complicated experiments in a timely manner.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Other Requirements

• The candidate selected for this position is required to undergo a drug screening test prior to a final offer of employment being made
• Medical clearance and participation in the medical surveillance program
  • Work with Laboratory animals
• Successful completion of applicable compliance and systems training requirements

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.