Senior Research Technician - Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health

The Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health combines four important areas of expertise within Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. These are public/population health, international medicine, wildlife and conservation medicine and infectious disease research. The alignment of these areas promotes cross-disciplinary strengths that are important in achieving the department's goal of improving human, animal and ecosystem health locally, nationally and internationally. Research in the Department aims to advance understanding of the biology and host interaction of pathogens, particularly those causing tickborne diseases, and to use this information to develop new treatments and prevention.

Under the direction and guidance of Principal Investigator and senior research scientists, the senior research technician will assist in a wide range of experiments using phylogenomics to analyze the evolution of tickborne pathogens and genetically manipulating ticks and Lyme disease bacteria to study vector-pathogen-host interactions. In this role, as a Sr Research Tech, you will also assist with the health monitoring and husbandry of ticks and other laboratory organisms; animal infections; and necropsy. You will be expected to assist in analyzing data, manuscript preparation, presenting and archiving data arising from those experiments; and contributing to general laboratory maintenance. Other related duties as assigned

As a Senior Research Technician in IDGH, essntial functions will include:

• Test the efficiency of Lyme disease bacterial infection in birds and rodents using ticks carrying Lyme disease bacteria
• Phylogenomic analysis of bacterial and tick determinants to contribute to vector-pathogen-host interactions
• Genetically manipulate bacteria and ticks to investigate the role of vector and bacterial determinants in contributing vector-pathogen-host interactions
• Tick and animal colony maintenance and husbandry
• Analyzing data, manuscript preparation, presenting archiving data arising from the experiments
• General lab maintenance; restocking lab supplies, ordering supplies, organization and maintenance including glassware cleaning, disposal of hazardous and biohazardous waste, autoclaving; minor equipment maintenance; preparing solutions.

Please include a cover letter with your application materials (in addition to resume). The cover letter should speak to skills and experience qualifying you for the position including experience with animals and/or insect vectors, as well as your interest.

Basic Requirements:

• Previous experience working in a research laboratory.
• Knowledge, skills & experience as typically acquired through the Bachelor's degree in Ecology-, Evolutionary Biology-, Biochemistry-, Biotechnology- related area

Preferred Qualifications:

• Having prior experience working on an independent research project in a research laboratory
• Prior course requirement: Have taken the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, and/or Immunology courses
• Computer skills: Proficiency in using statistical, sequence analytical or script writing software, such as SPSS, R, or Python.
• Prior experience in working with research animal models (e.g., Mus muculus mice) using various laboratory techniques.
• Prior experience in working on infectious agents in a Biosafety Level 2 environment.