Research Assistant III/S

Position Summary

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic research assistant to work in the lab of Dr. Sue Rhee, a leader in plant resilience research at Michigan State University (Lansing, MI). The Rhee lab combines computational and experimental approaches to reveal molecular mechanisms underlying adaptive strategies in plants (https://www.rheelab.org/). The successful candidate will support collaborative projects related to molecular and cell biology and collaborative, international, and transdisciplinary projects, in addition to carrying out lab management and supervisory duties. 

Responsibilities  

Research activities (45%)  

• Oversee and participate in experimental biology research projects in the Rhee lab in cell and molecular biology 
• Manage microscopes in the lab as well as train and support lab scientists on various cell biology and microscopy techniques including live imaging using confocal microscopy 
• Train and support lab members on standard and emerging molecular biology techniques and methods 
• Develop techniques for collecting, interpreting and analyzing research data  
• Collaborate and coordinate experiments with multiple labs and multidisciplinary teams  
• Independently conduct experiments 
• Maintain detailed records of experiments and outcomes 
• Write publications 
• Present ongoing work to colleagues and conferences  
• Participate in grant writing to fund the related projects 

 

Lab management (25%) 

• Maintain organization of research material and lab space  
• Support general lab operation by negotiating with vendors, placing and receiving orders of supplies and equipment  
• Manage lab inventories and record databases  
• Maintain lab stock of consumables and reagents including stock monitoring 
• Work with the administrative managers to ensure expenses are being appropriately charged to accounts and track expense levels to ensure research expenses stay within awarded grants 
• Set up new instruments and develop user instructions  
• Manage and execute equipment maintenance and material repairs/replacement ensuring they are functional and work efficiently 
• Develop standard protocols and procedures, make modifications to existing procedures and protocols if needed  
• Manage laboratory software and user licenses  
• Apply, maintain, and ensure compliance for material transfer agreements (MTA) and permits
• Update calendars, google drive, rosters and email lists 
• Take notes and record zoom meetings 
• Serve as a point of contact, can receive calls outside routine work hours for lab emergencies and address them 
• Assist coordinators and managers for events 

 

Supervision, hiring, training and mentoring (20%)  

• Coordinate mentorship and training for students, research assistants and support staff in basic molecular, cellular, and plant biology techniques 
• Assist scientists and provide training and guidance for standard lab procedures  
• Provide advice and information on laboratory H&S, risk assessments and other control measures as appropriate  
• Serve as a technical resource and source of lab knowledge for wet-lab experiments and personnel 
• Provide recommendations and guidelines on experimental design, research direction, data analysis, imaging and microscopy work, and assist in brainstorming and planning future research projects  
• Foster a creative and diverse research environment   
• Write and/or contribute to recommendation letters 
• Coordinate wet-lab research projects and personnel within the Rhee lab and center level grants to ensure research milestones are achieved 
• Serve as a lab representative for recruiting research personnel  
• New hire onboarding
• Train incoming personnel in best practices for recording data, organizing reagents and materials, and maintaining records 
• Give general lab and safety induction to new staff  
• Identify the hiring department and college, assigned HR contact, and search committee members
• Draft the job description and coordinate with HR to post the position
• Advertise the position in partnership with the PRI Communications team
• Coordinate and schedule initial and full interviews, including Zoom logistics and candidate communications
• Track applications, evaluations, approvals, and committee feedback throughout the process
• Support HR during the hiring stage, including reference checks, offer preparation, and onboarding coordination
• Supervise support staff, support and maintain probation, interim, and annual evaluation processes,