Junior Specialist - Bers Lab 2024

The University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology invites applications for 1 fulltime Junior Specialist positions in the sub-specialty area of cardiovascular research. Junior Specialist appointees will be involved in interdisciplinary studies focusing on questions within this sub-specialty. Junior Specialists will devote 90% of time to research and related activities, and 10% to professional competence and public service, as described below. Junior Specialist positions are short term, two-year maximum appointments made to help meet the needs of laboratory and department research projects. Appointments are 100% (full-time).

These positions are tenable in the laboratory of Dr. Donald M. Bers, Distinguished Professor and Department Chair. As a large laboratory (20-25 members), we undertake a diversity of research activities and engage in numerous collaborations. Our goal is to investigate at cellular level the regulation of the heart, comparing normal with dysfunctional responses. We use animal disease models with pathologies such as heart failure or arrhythmias. We study processes related to both acute function (excitation-contraction coupling) and gene expression (excitation-transcription coupling). We focus on cell signaling molecules such as protein kinases, as well as membrane ion channels, transporters and pumps, along with energetics and mitochondria. Complementing our functional analyses, we aim to understand structural determinants such as post-translational modification, translocation, assembly or polymerization of proteins. We characterize mechanisms and molecules with the intention that they may be identified and validated as therapeutic targets for the treatment of heart disease.

Candidates' responsibilities:
Research (90%): Successful candidates will participate in laboratory studies, assisting principal investigators (PI), senior investigators, postdoctoral researchers and/or graduate students. The incumbent will actively participate in creative activities including research presentation and publications. In addition, the incumbent will analyze and organize data that contributes to the writing of manuscripts suitable for publication. Candidates will participate in scientific discussions in the lab setting, weekly lab meetings and the monthly departmental science in progress talks.

The candidate will assist the PI and support the laboratory research in multiple ways, including:

• Preparation of cardiac myocytes from small animals (rats, rabbits, mice) using approved protocols, for use in acute experiments.
• Management (including selective breeding and genotyping) of mouse colonies representing various gene-altered models relevant to heart disease.
• Maintenance of cell cultures, including adult differentiated cells in primary culture, stem cells (iPSC), and immortalized cell lines.
• Generation and monitoring of specific animal heart failure models, by surgical and/or dietary or drug intervention.
• Molecular biology experiments: Western blotting, PCR, recombinant protein expression and analysis; work with adenoviral constructs.
• Functional experiments on cells and tissues using diverse techniques such as live or fixed imaging, fluorescence assays or electrophysiology.

Related activities in which specialists participate also include:

• Shared lab maintenance duties: ordering and stocking of supplies, cleaning / sanitization, record keeping.
• Help bring research to publication and dissemination: may include data collection, analysis and graphing, possibly also writing, editing and reviewing.
  
• Managing or co-managing safety training and documentation for lab personnel.
• Informal scientific discussions within the lab and progress reports, university symposia, poster presentation sessions, or even regional, national or international scientific meetings.

Professional Competence (5%): The candidate will be encouraged to participate in weekly lab meetings, attend weekly seminars/conferences, and contribute towards weekly journal clubs and other activities, as applicable within the Department of Pharmacology.

Public Service (5%): The candidate is expected to contribute to University and Public service by mentoring undergraduate students, disseminating of experimental procedures/technical expertise to other research groups, and consulting with campus regulatory authorities (animal and safety committees), facilities managers, equipment vendors and field service providers.

Potential hazards in the laboratory may include human and animal tissue, adenoviruses and some carcinogenic, acutely toxic or corrosive substances. Personal protective measures, along with training and supervision, are provided. The laboratory operates in full compliance with all regulatory bodies' mandates.

• Laboratory experience equivalent to one year, for instance as an undergraduate researcher.
• Experience in or related to ONE or MORE of the above listed priority research activities where our need is greatest.
• Ability to organize tasks and manage time.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing, in person, virtually (on-line) and by telephone.
• Willingness to work either interactively or independently within a large diverse lab group.
• Attention to cleanliness and detail sufficient to meet commonly accepted standards of laboratory practice.
• Willingness to adhere to UC Davis mandated laboratory safety and ethics standards.

• A bachelor's degree in a field related to our research is required by the start date of this position. Example fields include biology, biochemistry, neuroscience, animal science, biomedical engineering or genetics.

• Basic knowledge of UC Davis management and compliance tools such as the Pre-purchasing System or Learning Management System.
• Familiarity with computer software for office productivity (word processing, spreadsheet); graphing, statistical analysis.
• Familiarity with ultrasound imaging / echocardiography
  

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals' with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

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