APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This position is funded for 1 year(s); continuation past 1 year(s) will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

The new Tick Research Facility within the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences at Penn State seeks a highly motivated and detail-oriented Laboratory Coordinator to support the maintenance and expansion of live laboratory tick colonies for research on vector biology and vector-borne diseases. This position will play a critical role in sustaining genetically diverse tick colonies, supporting experimental work, and ensuring compliance with biosafety and animal care regulations.

The successful candidate will demonstrate proficient and comprehensive knowledge of laboratory animal science, arthropod containment, and vector biology, applying principles, practices, and procedures to varied and complex work assignments under minimal supervision.

Responsibilities:

Laboratory Operations and Technical Expertise:

• Independently manage and supervise daily operations of multiple live laboratory tick colonies across species and life stages, ensuring colony health, genetic diversity, and experimental integrity.
• Establish, expand, and refine genetically diverse tick colonies derived from field-collected populations, applying specialized knowledge to adapt methodologies and resolve complex colony management challenges.
• Design, implement, and troubleshoot tick feeding procedures on approved vertebrate hosts in accordance with IACUC-approved protocols and institutional standards.
• Apply advanced morphological identification techniques, dissection procedures, molecular methods, and bioassays to support research in tick biology, host–vector interactions, and vector-borne disease ecology.
• Research and implement new or modified approaches when solving novel or technically challenging laboratory or colony-management problems.
• Prepare, coordinate, and distribute regulated arthropod shipments to internal and external collaborators in compliance with federal permits, institutional policies, and biosafety requirements.

Animal Welfare, Regulatory Compliance, and Biosafety:

• Interpret and apply principles of animal welfare, biosafety, and regulatory compliance associated with BSL2/BSL3-adjacent work