Research Technician

Education
Bachelor's Degree Science required

Can this role accept experience in lieu of a degree?
Yes

Licenses and Credentials

Experience
Relevant research and data management experience 1-2 years required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Good interpersonal and communication skills.
- Careful attention to detail.
- Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize a variety of tasks.
- Intermediate computer literacy including database tools.
- Knowledge of data management programs.
- Ability to follow directions and exhibit professionalism, and work more independently.

A part-time research technician position is available in the Laboratory of Dr. Sundari Chetty in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School. The overarching goal of the Chetty lab is to understand the mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia, and identify novel therapeutic targets based on these mechanistic insights. In particular, the lab has been investigating the mechanisms underlying brain overgrowth or undergrowth in these disorders using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology.

The candidate will be responsible for maintaining and differentiating several patient-specific iPSC lines into the neuronal and glial lineages (in two-dimensional and brain organoid models) to investigate changes at the cellular, functional, and mechanistic levels using a broad range of techniques from RNA sequencing, genome editing, to functional assays in in vitro and in vivo models. The candidate will also be responsible for a variety of tasks including help manage lab supplies (including maintaining detailed databases/inventory of all lab supplies and protocols), onboard new lab members, and assist lab personnel with routine experiments (e.g. maintaining and expanding stem cell lines, RNA and protein isolations, flow cytometry, histological analyses, immunostaining, microscopy, quantitative PCR, etc). Prior experience with cell culture techniques and genome editing are highly desirable. The position will also involve collaborations with other labs at MGH, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute working on related questions.

For more information about Dr. Chetty's lab, please visit the lab's website at:

https://chettylab.com/

Minimum degree and field of knowledge: Bachelor's or Master's degree in biology, genetics, neuroscience, or a related scientific field and at least two years of relevant work experience in a lab setting are required. Ideal candidates would have extensive experience working with stem cells (including 2D or organoid models) as well as expertise in the use of fluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, and molecular biology (RT-PCR, cloning, immunoprecipitation, western blotting). Expertise in genome editing (CRISPR-Cas9) would be very valuable.