Research Technician I

Position Summary:

The Butts Lab at Rice University is hiring a Research Technician to support research involving mouse husbandry, basic molecular biology, and cell culture maitenance. Key duties include breeding, genotyping, and weaning mice; maintaining colony records; preparing bacterial cultures and plasmids; maintaining cell lines, and performing general lab tasks such as receiving orders, preparing reagents, and maintaining lab organization. The technician will work closely with a graduate student, attend weekly lab meetings, and maintain records in our lab inventory system.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

All interested applicants should attach a resume in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues

Ideal Candidate Statement:

The ideal candidate is reliable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working with mice. This role is well-suited for someone seeking hands-on research experience in a collaborative lab environment.

Workplace Requirements: - This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in-person at Rice University Campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: $18.08-21.19

*Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

This position is a full-time, term limited position funded by grant, soft and/or restricted funds. Continued employment is contingent on the continued availability of funding, ongoing research needs, and satisfactory performance.

Minimum Requirements:

• HS Diploma or equivalent
• 2+ years of experience of related experience in a laboratory, research, or technical setting. Relevant academic research experience may be considered toward this requirement.
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.

Skills:

• Ability to conduct experiments and follow established research protocols with accuracy and consistency
• Strong attention to detail in collecting, organizing, and tracking experimental data using spreadsheets or databases
• Familiarity with basic laboratory procedures, including reagent preparation, equipment maintenance, and lab safety practices
• Strong organizational skills for managing supplies, procurement requests, and sample inventory
• Ability to manage time effectively, set up and monitor experiments, and maintain clear, accurate research records for internal use or publication
• Flexibility and reliability in supporting a range of lab functions and responding to evolving research needs

Essential Functions:

• Assists with mouse colony management and routine animal research activities in accordance with established laboratory protocols.
• Performs routine laboratory procedures, including bacterial culture, plasmid construction, and viral production.
• Assists with cell culture maintenance and differentiation and develops proficiency in established cell culture techniques.
• Collects, organizes, records, and assists with the analysis of experimental data, maintaining accuracy and reproducibility.
• Maintains complete and accurate laboratory records and documents experimental procedures and results.
• Prepares reagents and laboratory materials and maintains laboratory supplies and inventory.
• Assists with the operation and routine maintenance of laboratory equipment and supports day-to-day laboratory operations.
• Follows established laboratory procedures and safety requirements and maintains a clean and organized research environment.
• Assists with troubleshooting and refinement of experimental procedures under the direction of senior research personnel.
• Works collaboratively with faculty, staff, postdoctoral researchers, and students to support ongoing research activities.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

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Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.