Research Technician I

Please apply for this opportunity at Massachusetts General Hospital using this link.

The Laboratory of Dr. Michelle Rengarajan is focused on accelerating therapeutic development and improving clinical care for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and has a long-standing interest in human autoimmunity. We aim to 1) develop non-invasive biological markers to track DMD, 2) develop a standardized antibody test for detection of anti-AAV antibodies that prevent many people with rare diseases from qualifying for life-saving gene therapies, and 3) understand transgene immunity responses that can occur with gene therapy. Primary responsibility in this role is to assist in ongoing research studies under the supervision and direction of PI and lab staff. The job will include conducting an independent research project, keeping meticulous records, presentation at lab meetings and scientific conferences and basic lab duties. We expect that highly motivated individuals will contribute to the lab’s publications and will accordingly be credited with authorship. Critical skills include superb verbal and written communication skills, attention to detail, ability to work independently (under close supervision after training) and as part of a team. As we are a relatively new lab, there is much potential for scientific learning, growth and skill-development. In this role, technicians are not limited to repetitive tasks but instead will gain agency over their own projects and are encouraged to provide input on project direction. This position is ideal for gaining research experience prior to graduate or medical school. Applicants should submit a resume, a cover letter describing why they are interested in DMD/gene therapy research. Applications lacking a cover letter will not be considered.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Carrying out basic lab protocols and experiments including (but not limited to) Western blots, ELISA, tissue/blood processing and banking, DNA/RNA extraction, methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP), ChIP-seq, sequencing library preparation, PCR, qPCR, dPCR, tissue/cell culture, column chromatography, cell sorting and flow cytometry.
• Basic lab maintenance tasks which may include tracking/ordering of reagents and supplies, logging of samples into storage database, or standard lab duties.
• Accurately maintaining a written record of all experiments and data collected.
• Interpreting results, presenting them to the lab team, and providing input on the project’s direction.
• Training additional laboratory personnel in acquired skills and procedures.

Qualifications: 

BA/BS degree in molecular/cell biology/biochemistry/bioengineering, or a related field.

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required: 

• Basic laboratory techniques and the ability to build upon these techniques as necessary.
• Analytical skills and the ability to resolve and troubleshoot technical problems. 
• Computer literacy.
• Good verbal and written communication skills.
• Must be self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Experience with coding and large-scale data analysis is valued but not required.
• Prior laboratory experience and demonstrated interest in research, either through academic course work/lab work, internships, or employment. Previous laboratory experience is highly preferred, but all protocols will be taught upon joining the lab.

Working Conditions:

• Duties will be performed onsite at the research laboratory.
• Work will be conducted over a 40-hour work week, M-F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
• (Some timed experiments (such as cell culture) may require occasional work during weekends).

Please apply for this opportunity at Massachusetts General Hospital using this link.