Research Technician IV (Extended Temporary)

The University of Arizona School of Plant Sciences is looking for a Research Technician IV. The successful candidate for this position conducts and supports microbiology and plant-microbe interaction research by developing protocols to address challenging research questions about how plants and microbes interact and whether these interactions can be engineered to develop new agricultural technologies. Duties will include leading and performing experiments summarizing and interpreting experiment data and submitting research reports in laboratory setting. We are looking for a research technician with background and experience in bacteriology specifically plant bacteriology (plant pathology or host-microbe interactions) who will develop facilitate and implement the scientific protocols needed to reach our biological research aims. We seek a candidate who with knowledge and technical skills related to culturing and working with bacteria. The research technician should be capable of evaluating data independently. They will develop adapt and build equipment procedures and techniques to fit specific experiment requirements. Duties will include performing necessary research and support related tasks in the laboratory. They will also manage daily laboratory maintenance and tasks.

This is an Extended Temporary Employment (ETE) position.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health dental and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation sick leave and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services please click here.

• Leads in theplanning design set-up and disassembly of complex experimental systems.
• Selects adapts and implements procedures and standards to ensure theefficiency effectiveness and quality control of the laboratory operation andsupports compliance activities with federal state and university regulationsand standards.
• Designsprimers plasmids and chimeric receptors in silico by selecting and optimizingappropriate molecular designs.
• Independently follows evaluates and adaptsdetailed protocols for PCR and other molecular biology techniques to constructplasmids and bacterial strains resolving complex technical issues withexperimental design and execution.
• Developsdetailed protocols for the fluorescent and luminescent reporting of bacterialsignaling by independently designing and adapting current laboratory protocolsfor high throughput screening and developing advanced controls and standardsfor the generation and analysis of largescale complex data.
• Works collaboratively with plant scientists andcomputational scientists to lead interpretation of complex data analyzeresults and interpret protein structure data providing technical input toexperimental design decisions.
• Maintains and organizes comprehensive recordsobservations data analysis and interpretations of experimental results foreffective team science.
• Prepares detailed technical reports summaries andprotocols that document methods performance and reliability of experimentalsystems.
• Oversees andperforms critical aspects of laboratory maintenance including cleaning andsterilization of labware used for research preparation of sterile mediabuffers and laboratory stock reagents and the setup monitoringtroubleshooting and long-term optimization of bacterial cultures.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge ofbacterial physiology.
• Skillsculturing bacteria and with sterile technique.
• Knowledgefluorescent and luminescent assays.
• Skills withbacterial genetics (e.g. PCR analyzing sequence and genome data).
• Skills indetail-oriented notetaking.
• Ability tocommunicate scientific concepts clearly and promptly with team members andsupervisors.
• Ability toperform experiments and analyze experimental data independently.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

• High school diploma or high school diploma equivalency is required.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination of education and work experience.

• 1 to 2 years of relevant work experience.
• Bachelors degree in plant microbiology plant pathology or related field.
• Prior experience in plant microbiology (plant pathology plant-microbe interactions).