RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER 3 - University of Washington

Req #: 231588 Department: DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY Posting Date: 05/07/2024 Closing Info: Open Until Filled Salary: $5,427 - $5,698 per month Shift: First Shift Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701\_a11y.pdf ) As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. The Department of Microbiology is seeking a full-time Research Scientist/Engineer 3 (E S UAW RSE) for the Dr. Fuller lab. The research that this position is engaged in studies that develop and test novel vaccines and immunomodulators for the therapy or prevention of infectious diseases with an emphasis influenzairus, SARS-CoV-2 Virus, and Coccidoidies sp. fungus (aka Valley Fever) research. Projects include, but are not limited to, investigating the role of virus specific T cell responses and antibody responses in viral control, testing immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines and therapeutics in nonhuman primate and murine models for HIV, ZIKV, influenza, Hepatitis B, SARS-CoV-2 (and others); investigating mechanisms underlying mucosal dysfunction induced by lentivirus (SIV/SHIV/HIV) infections; development and treatment of the latent lentiviral reservoir during antiretroviral drug therapy, novel therapeutic drug and vaccine interventions to treat HIV disease pathogenesis. **DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES** Research Project Management and Leadership - 30% + Engage with PI, scientific leads in the Fuller lab and our collaborators (academic and industry), review grant funding Specific Aims, to research, contribute to, and refine project goals. Plan and execute multiphase projects. + Lead, train, delegate, and supervise support personnel (undergraduates, technicians, graduate students, etc) in specific projects or assay completion. + Routinely receive updates from support personnel regarding project status. Review and analyze data collected by delegated staff. Present data to project team groups and establish conclusions and/or next steps in address of project goals. Encourage delegated personnel to present their own generated data independently when appropriate but maintain supervision and leadership over the delegated data and post-analysis presentation and decision-making. + Ensure agreed-upon project timelines and milestones are achieved. When changes or delays to project timelines manifest, update the affected teams/personnel and collaborating groups and propose resolutions. + Communicate effectively with collaborators on the scope, execution, and reporting of projects.Wet Lab Scientist - 40% + Conduct work in BSL1-2+, ABSL1-2, & BSL3, ABSL3 as needed. + Evaluate immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines for HIV/SHIV/SIV, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza, Hepatitis B, Flavivirus, Coccidioidomycosis, and cancer, among others. Both T cell and humoral responses. Ex. Assays ELISpot, ICS/flow cytometry, ELISA, Hemagglutinin Inhibition Assay, TCID50, PRNT/Plaque Assay, RT-qPCR viral loads, etc. + Conduct animal studies. Mouse handling, dissection, single cell isolations from tissues, blood and BAL collection, immunizations, and viral infections. Experiments generally enroll between 75-100 mice . challenge inoculations (influenza, flavivirus), including at ABSL3. + Sample collection (blood, mucosal secretion, mucosal samples), endpoint sample collection: spleen, lung, blood, among others as necessitated per individual experiment/model. + Tumor placement and time course size measurements. + Prepare mice for shipment to collaborators for viral/fungal challenge or other experimental procedures. + Molecular biology, tissue culture, sample processing. + Routine cloning and vaccine plasmid prep in e coli, transfection to mammalian cell line to evaluate successful expression before in vivo administration. Western blot, gel electrophoresis, protein purification, DNA/RNA isolation, PCR/RT-PCR/RT-qPCR. + Prepare nucleic acid vaccine constructs for in vivo administration, most commonly via Gene Gun (Particle Mediated Epidermal Delivery) although other preparations may be required dependent on the research goals. + Immune cell isolation from primary animal tissue/blood samples. + Maintain cultures of common mammalian cell lines such as vero, MDCK, HEK293t, HeLa, CHO, B16, etc. + In-vitro cell based analyses, particularly influenza neutralization assays (for novel antiviral compounds, testing the humoral responses in vaccinated animals) and expression analysis of nucleic acid vaccines. + Analyze data in SoftMax Pro, Excel, Graphpad Prism, FlowJo and preparation of figures in GraphPad Prism and BioRender.Lab Management 30% + General lab upkeep - an individual and delegated responsibility. + Ordering lab supplies and reagents for specific teams/projects. + Environmental Health and Safety compliance - facilitate safe workplace environment and uphold university standards. + Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee - Develop Animal Use Protocols and associated Biological Use Authorization for recently awarded grants. Amend and renew these as needed to reflect new avenues of discovery and protocol expiration dates. + Schedule lab or related team meetings. + Monitor lab equipment and place service calls when in need of repair or preventative maintenance. + SOP creation, review, and revision. + Correspond with government agencies such as the USDA, DOJ/ DEA, and WaDOH to obtain permits and registrations. + Communicate with departmental and university liaisons regarding broad updates and relay those to PI and/or lab personnel. + Stay apprised of new technologies, assays, vendors, products and evaluate/present use-case scenarios to PI and/or other personnel. **MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS** + Bachelor's degree in a related field and four years of relevant experience, OR equivalent combination of education/experience. + Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. **DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS** + Four or more years of experience in Biochemistry background and techniques- Strong molecular skills for designing plasmids for use in nucleic acid vaccination. Experience in designing and qualifying real-time PCR assays for pathogen load analysis from animal samples. Skilled in using DNA analysis software. + Strong background with the mouse research model, particularly vaccination strategies and influenza and SARS-CoV-2 challenge models. Skills include mouse handling, dissection, single cell isolations from tissues, blood and BAL collection, immunizations, and viral infections. + Immunology background and techniques - Strong immunological assay experience, particularly with ELISA and ELISPOT analysis. Ability to design and qualify assays for new targets as the need arises. + Strong in-vitro cell based analyses, particularly influenza neutralization assays ( for novel antiviral compounds, testing the humoral responses in vaccinated animals) and expression analysis of nucleic acid vaccines. + Exceptional organizational, time management, and interpersonal communication skills + Rigorous immunology knowledge as it pertains to the evaluation of vaccine and antiviral immunogenicity/efficacy. + Experience in hypothesis driven experimental design and execution. + Flow cytometry, ELISpot experience. Prior use of Prism software, experience in general lab maintenance. Prior experience supervising technicians or student researchers, Experience or willingness to work at BSL1-3. **Application Process:** The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.