Vanderbilt University Medical Center·Nashville, Tennessee
The Research Assistant II supports day-to-day laboratory operations and contributes to research projects in immunology and virology. Key duties include conducting experiments, culturing cells, performing molecular biology techniques, and maintaining laboratory equipment and inventory.
Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.
A laboratory in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology is seeking a Research Assistant II (RAII) to join our team. In this role, you’ll be a key laboratory resource—supporting day-to-day operations while contributing directly to ongoing research projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
With moderate supervision, you will set up and conduct experiments, follow established protocols, and ensure accurate documentation and reporting of results (including any unexpected or variant findings). Your work will include:
Culturing cells (eukaryotic and prokaryotic) Performing molecular biology techniques such as transformations, DNA preparation, PCR, and sequence analysis Expressing and purifying proteins Performing flow cytometry Preparing common reagents and solutions Supporting routine maintenance of laboratory equipment Managing inventory of reagents and supplies Assisting with other laboratory and research activities as needed What we’re looking for You’ll thrive in this position if you bring strong organization, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate clearly and work effectively as part of a dynamic research team.
Required Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) 2 years of experience in molecular biology
Preferred Experience with plasmid preparation, cloning, DNA mutagenesis, and cultured mammalian cells
You’ll join the Vanderbilt Center for Antibody Therapeutics (VCAT)—recognized as one of the world’s leading centers for antibody discovery and translational research focused on disease prevention. At the intersection of immunology and virology, our work leverages computational advances to better understand antibody–antigen interactions, design immunogens, and optimize antibodies for clinical use.
In the Georgiev laboratory, we use computational and structure-based protein design approaches to address fundamental questions in immunology and virology and to develop new vaccine and antibody product candidates targeting viruses of biomedical importance.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to work with a dynamic, interdisciplinary research team and contribute to impactful, translational science.
Schedule and location Typical schedule is Monday–Friday, daytime hours, with flexibility in your daily start/end time as long as responsibilities are met. May be occasional weekend work but anticipated work week is 40 hours. This is an on-site role working at VUMC Medical Research Building IV (MRB IV), 2215 Garland Ave., Nashville, TN
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Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.
World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.
Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions [https://www.vumc.org/strategy/strategic-directions], the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff.
Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance.
Problem
Solving/
Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment.
Breadth of
Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area.
Team
Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.
Experience Level: 2 years
This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.
Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.
A Bachelor's degree and 2 years of experience in molecular biology are required. Preferred qualifications include experience with plasmid preparation, cloning, DNA mutagenesis, and mammalian cell culture.
Market context
Support-services roles in Tennessee often stay competitive because employers look for licensed nurses who can step into patient-facing operations and coordinate care reliably. For this role category, the strongest candidates usually pair current state licensure and CPR certification with medical-surgical, ICU, or hemodialysis experience. The job requirements and benefits on this platform are AI-summarized from the original job description, saving you research time; before applying, confirm your license status and highlight any hands-on clinical experience that matches the preferred background.
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