Research Lab Tech I RENTHAL LAB

Brigham and Women's Hospital
United States, Massachusetts, Boston
60 Fenwood Road (Show on map)
Jan 21, 2025
We are seeking a highly motivated and creative research assistant with a strong computational background to work on cutting-edge projects aimed at developing next-generation treatments for chronic pain and migraine. Under the supervision of Principal Investigator, Dr. William Renthal at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, the successful applicant will carry out and design well-controlled experiments and publish their results. The successful applicant will receive scientific training, professional development, and mentorship within the Renthal Lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital. The research interests of the Renthal Lab focus on the genetics and epigenomics of chronic pain and headache. Projects will leverage recent advances in single-cell genomics to characterize molecular features that are unique to nociceptors, which are the peripheral sensory neurons that transmit pain signals to the brain. The successful applicant will leverage their computational background to analyze and extract insights from genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic, imaging, and behavioral data with the goal of identifying new molecules and pathways involved pain and headache. This research will require ongoing skill development in bioinformatics and machine learning and close collaboration with biologists in the lab to understand data together. The ideal candidate would also have a strong background and interest in gene regulation and some familiarity with molecular biology techniques such as cloning, PCR, and Next-Generation Sequencing. Additionally, there will be ample opportunities to collaborate with other labs within Harvard Medical School and the surrounding hospitals and research institutions. As a 2-year commitment is required, this is a great opportunity for a candidate interested in either developing additional skills before applying to graduate/medical school or a career in academic medicine. This is a 12-month term position renewable contingent on funding and work performance. Offer contingent upon successful completion of a pre-placement medical evaluation. To apply for this position, applicants should submit: 1. CV 2. Potential start date 3. Contact information for three references PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1.Research, develop, design, execute and interpret research experiments. The successful applicant will initially carry out established protocols they will learn on the job. Over time, it is expected that the successful applicant will be able to design and execute their own experiments. 2. Contribute to scientific literature, reports, journals and presentations. 3. Investigate, create, and develop new methodologies for research advancement. 4. Contribute to a positive, respectful, and scholarly lab environment. Read, teach, enjoy. 5. Maintain an organized record of laboratory experiments. 6. Other project-related duties as assigned 1. B.S., B.A. 2. At least one year of research experience. 3. Ability to write clean, efficient, and reproducible code. SKILLS/ ABILITIES/ COMPETENCIES REQUIRED: 1. Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team. 2. Strong understanding of molecular biology and genomics. 3. Strong interest in staying updated and sharing with our group the latest research and technologies in genomics, bioinformatics, and machine learning. 4. Proficient with R and/or Python and experience with scientific computing libraries (e.g., NumPy, pandas). 5. Familiarity with Linux/UNIX and high-performance computing schedulers (e.g. SLURM). 6. Understanding of supervised, unsupervised, and deep learning techniques and familiarity of of statistical methods (e.g., linear models, Bayesian methods). 7. Good oral and written communication skills. 8. Analytical skills, the ability to troubleshoot technical or research roadblocks, and to interpret data with biological relevance in mind. 9. Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize a variety of tasks. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities - Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of laboratory techniques and procedures. - Familiarity with common laboratory equipment and instruments used in research experiments. - Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and scientific software tools. - Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to multitask and prioritize tasks effectively. - Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot technical issues. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively convey experimental procedures, results, and challenges. Working conditions: The successful applicant will have their own desk and laboratory bench space located in the Hale Building for Transformative Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. There is a mouse facility in the same building as well as several additional research cores. Copious amounts of coffee and tea are available to all trainees. The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.