Core Manager Senior Research Associate 1 STS

Description

Date: Feb 2025

Title: Core Manager Senior Research Associate I, Specialized Technical Skills (STS)

Department: Physiology and Biophysics

School: Medicine

Location: Robbins Building E549

Supervisor Name and Title: Xin Qi, Professor and Interim Chair, Physiology and Biophysics

 

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Protein Biophysics and Structure Biology Core (PBSBC) at CWRU aims to advance research by providing investigators with cutting-edge equipment, training, and resources. The Senior Research Associate with Specialized Technical Skills (STS) will oversee the Core operations and provide scientific leadership in utilizing advanced biophysical and imaging instrumentation including the Olympus Fluoview Confocal FV3000, AKTA FPLC, SEC-MALS, HPLC, Tecan microplate reader, CD, ITC, Biacore T200, MST, Mosquito, Rockmaker and Rockimager and real-time PCR systems.  

The Senior Research Associate STS will collaborate with Principal Investigators on research project planning and grant applications, ensuring optimal use of the core’s cutting-edge instruments.  This role requires strong expertise in microscopy and biophysical techniques to support researchers in experimental design, data acquisition, and analysis. The SRA I (STS) is expected to contribute to scientific publications, grant proposals, and presentations, fostering research innovation and funding opportunities

 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS 

1.       Teach and advise users on sample preparation, image acquisition, experiment optimization and data processing using our newest microscope Olympus Fluoview Confocal FV3000. Support additional imaging needs using Leica stereomicroscope M205A, Upright Epifluorescence microscope and Leica S8 APO. The incumbent must be well versed in confocal microscopy techniques and be able to guide users to implement Confocal for their studies. this expertise is essential to the core. (10%)

2.       Teach and advise users how to get set up experiments for optimal results utilizing biophysics technologies including CD, Biacore T200, ITC, MST and SEC-MALS. Assisting researchers on drug development and therapeutics discovery (25%)

3.       Teach and advise users how to analyze data in a meaningful way. Collaborate with users and advise on image processing for optical data results. Apply appropriate data analytics and database management systems in order to handle large amounts of data (as large as a terabyte) that will be collected by the core’s instruments. (10%)

4.       Collaborate with Principal Investigators to develop project plans and grants submissions, serving as the subject matter expert on microscopy and the application of the Core’s instruments and systems to advance research objectives and create opportunity for future grant funding. (10%)

5.       Manage/track income, usage of all equipment for budget planning. Work with director to establish future budgets based on past spending and future needs. Develop pricing strategy for new services and equipment. Oversee and manage the core billing and equipment scheduling software. This includes correcting all scheduling issues (e.g., help with signing into iLab, fixing problems with user accounts, etc.). Manage billing in iLab and correct all issues and incorrect charges, etc.). (10%)

6.       Oversee all high-performance equipment service contracts including negotiating renewing and coordinating with vendors and school finance for payment; organize service updates and repairs to microscopy equipment; arrange computer maintenance with University Technology and Genetics. (6%)

7.       Teach and oversee training protocols for users; train new users on the equipment. Empower staff to organize workshops on light microscopy topics. Facilitate demonstrations of new microscope technologies. Organize and provide resources (e.g., tutorials on tissue preparation, microscope use, and image processing). (5%)

8.       Manage developing, assessing, and adapting to new technologies, protocols, and software. (10%)

9.       Maintain and update information on the website; communicate new information to our users; give presentations to a myriad of departments and centers to advertise the capabili