RESEARCH TECHNICIAN - Mravic Lab

ABOUT US:

Scripps Research is a nonprofit biomedical institute ranked as one of the most influential in the world for its impact on innovation. We are celebrating our 100-year legacy in 2024. This significant milestone marks a century of seminal discoveries in immunology, infectious diseases (such as COVID-19, flu, HIV), neuroscience, heart disease, cancer, and more. Located in La Jolla, California, the institute houses six research departments, multiple Nobel laureates, a top-ranked graduate school and a leading postdoctoral training program.  We work hand-in-hand with researchers of the Scripps Research Translational Institute and Calibr to merge foundational studies in biology, chemistry and computer science with translational science to produce pioneering drugs and advances in digital and precision medicine. Together, we cultivate new scientific leaders and expand the frontiers of knowledge to deliver medical breakthroughs impacting human health around the globe. If you have a passion for making a difference, this could be your opportunity to join our transformative team.

Celebrating a Century:  https://100.scripps.edu/

POSITION TITLE:  Research Technician

POSITION SUMMARY:

Perform a variety of routine scientific tasks; may prepare test specimens; set up and operate standard lab equipment of moderate complexity.

The Mravic Lab is a protein engineering and computational design group seeking to hire a highly motivated full-time Research Technician to characterize the impact and behavior of synthetic transmembrane proteins in mammalian cell culture for biotechnology applications. 

The work will facilitate training in a suite of common and cutting-edge cell-based assays for studying protein-protein interactions, signaling pathways, response to drug/ligand treatment, protein expression/localization, etc.  The scientist will perform molecular DNA cloning, introduce synthetic genes to express exogenous designer proteins within human cells in culture, and perform molecular / biochemical techniques quantifying changes in signaling pathways and/or protein complexes form in the cell. 

Projects will require enacting lab standard protocols, including the ability for fast-paced adaptation to optimize or troubleshoot new challenges.  As well, new laboratory procedures may be developed alongside the guidance of senior scientists.  The research is multi-disciplinary in nature, thus the ability to adapt and a willingness to learn new methods are essential.  Additional opportunities for training in computational biology and biophysics / structural biology may be available for those candidates with existing related skillsets.  Significant emphasis is placed on the professional development of the Research Technician.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

General

• Perform research and conduct a wide variety of standard non-repetitive laboratory procedures under minimal supervision, independently and in collaboration with others.
• Record and analyze data, and interpret results
• Investigate, troubleshoot and modify methods and procedures as necessary; may assist in designing experiments
• Perform laboratory support tasks for the group and project: routine equipment maintenance, preparing common reagents, organization, ordering materials, etc.
• Details of essential functions for this position will be discussed during the interview process
• Impeccable record keeping via laboratory notebook documentation and data management
• Contribute to academic research publications; preparing manuscript figures, writing methodology sections, and supplemental material
• Effective scientific communication through formal and informal presentations of concepts and results, including at laboratory meetings

Technical

• Molecular biology, DNA cloning (PCR, gene assembly, etc), transformation of laboratory e. coli strains, plasmid isolation (mini/maxi-prep)
• Culture, maintenance, and transfection of mammalian cells, adherent strains (HEK, CHO, etc)
• Cell-based assays using diverse reporter systems: enzymes, proteins, or dyes (luminescence, fluorescence, absorbance, FRET, etc)
• Characterization of protein expression and localization: immunofluorescence microscopy (fixed cells), flow cytometry (live cells), Western Blot (lysates)
• Co-immunoprecipitation, isolation of protein complexes for further analysis
• Protein engineering library screening based on reporter and phenotypic laboratory evolution/selection; next-generation DNA sequencing.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific discipline and up to one (1) year of rela