Research Lab Tech 1(Segre)

Research Lab Tech 1(Segre)

Performs bioinformatics analyses for functional genomic projects of complex retinal diseases as directed, with supervision.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Performs a variety of computational and statistical analyses of functional genomic data of eye tissues, including bulk tissue and single cell RNA-sequencing and genotyping data.

• Use existing deconvolution tools to estimate the cell type abundance in bulk tissue RNA-seq from multiple human retinal samples

• Apply linear regression models to detect cell type-specific genetic regulation of gene expression (eQTLs) and of splicing (sQTLs) in eye tissues.

• Integrate cell type specific e/sQTLs with genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for complex eye diseases, such as glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, to identify disease-causing regulatory mechanisms, genes and cell types.

• Records data according to project requirements.

• Processes acquired data and assists in its summarization using standard scientific techniques including computer programs.

• Critically review, analyze, and communicate results to our team and collaborators.

• Makes periodic reports of project status to supervisor.

• Attends meetings as required.

• Enhances professional growth and development through educational programs, seminars, and/or conferences.

• Organize all scripts in a publicly available repository (e.g., github) with clear documentation.

• Candidate will work both on independent and collaborative projects, will summarize work for publications, and will have the opportunity to present one’s work at meetings.

Work requires a bachelors’ degree, or equivalent combination or education and experience in the field of Molecular Biology or Bioinformatics. Requires intermediate programming skills and ability to apply concepts of basic statistics to genomic data; apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form; read and interpret literature (articles) and computational tool documentation to be able to run computational analyses; demonstrate critical thinking and rigorous work; write up work and generate tables and plots for publications; strong personal skills, and excellent organization and verbal and written communication skills. Motivation to contribute to genomic research of eye disease.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The Segrè lab is located in the main hospital building of Mass Eye and Ear, 243 Charles Street, in a research and office workspace that is part of MEE’s Ocular Genomics Institute. The candidate will work in an office space adjacent to other computational biologists, biostatisticians, and students and in the Bioinformatics Center of the Ocular Genomics Institute, and will be part of a larger multidisciplinary research environment, which includes geneticists, clinical scientists, and experimental biologists. There is convenient access to MEE cafeteria on the 7th floor and, more importantly, abundant opportunities to interact with other MEE research groups and the Medical and Population Genetics community at the Broad Institute. Work will be hybrid with both in-person and remote components.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

None.

HIPAA Privacy Training and Sanctions

All employees who have access to health information whose confidentiality is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule are required by the Rule to receive training so that they have an understanding and knowledge of the Privacy Rule that corresponds to their job responsibilities and of the group health plan’s policies and procedures that impact on their job duties. Training on the requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the plan’s health information policies and procedures under the direction of the institution’s privacy officer is a pre-requisite for this position.

Employees who violate the requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.

This description is intended to indicate essential tasks and levels of work difficulty that will be required of positions that will be given this title. It is not intended to limit or in any way modify the right of supervisors to assign, direct, or control the work of staff members under their supervision. The use of a particular expression or illustration describing duties shall not be held to exclude other duties not mentioned but that are of similar kind or level of difficulty

Massachusetts Eye and Ear is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from harassment or discrimination. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, age, gender, gender identification, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, sex, pregnancy or conditions related to pregnancy, national origin/ancestry, citizenship, disability, military status, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by law. These protections extend to all management practices and decisions, including recruitment and hiring practices, appraisal systems, promotions, training, and career development programs.