Medical University of South Carolina
Location
Charleston, South Carolina
Salary
$37,200 - $59,500 / YEAR
The Research Specialist will manage daily laboratory functions, regulatory compliance, and conduct research tasks to obtain data. Primary duties include maintaining cell cultures, performing gene knockdown, and conducting small molecule screening experiments.
A bachelor's degree in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or a related science is required. Prior wet-lab experience in cellular and molecular biology is preferred.
Summary The laboratory of Dr. Daniel Sprague has an opening for a collegial, self-motivated Research Specialist I to start in summer-Early Fall 2026. The Sprague Lab is a chemical biology laboratory within the Department of Biochemistry at MUSC. The lab focuses on understanding signaling pathways to ultimately develop new small molecules to treat different diseases. Currently, there are ongoing projects in bladder cancer, parasitic flatworm biology, epigenetics, and neuropharmacology. Entity Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC - Univ) Worker Type Employee Worker Sub-Type Research Grant Cost Center CC000954 COM BIOCHEM Operations CC Pay Rate Type Hourly Pay Grade University-GEN06 Pay Range 37,200.00 - 48,300.00 - 59,500.000 Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 Work Shift
Job Purpose: The Research Specialist will manage aspects of daily laboratory function and regulatory compliance in conjunction with the PI and other lab members. The Research Specialist will conduct research tasks to obtain data for the lab, and keep meticulously organized notes and data, while growing their technical capabilities in chemical biology. The position will be focused on maintaining cell cultures, performing transfections, transductions, and gene knockdown, along with the complementary molecular biology analyses. There will also be small molecule screening experiments routinely performed. There will be ample opportunity for co-authorship on manuscripts. Additional Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Preferred: The candidate is required to have a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or related subjects. The preferred candidate will have prior wet-lab research experience in cellular and molecular biology. Experience in protein production is a benefit but not required. Guidelines and Supervision: Must be able to work efficiently and independently under the direction of the PI. Job Duties: 25% - Performs mammalian tissue culture including transfection Grows, maintains, expands, and treats mammalian cell lines Develops, evaluates and implements new or modified culture procedures 25% - Performs lentiviral transductions, isolates single clones, performs shRNA-knockdown analyses 15% - Performs DNA/RNA/Protein analysis Extracts DNA/RNA/Protein from mammalian cells. Analyzes DNA/RNA/Protein by (q)PCR, Western Blot, and other standard techniques. 10% - Performs small molecule screening, fluorometric assays, cellular viability assays, BRET/FRET/Calcium Flux assays, etc. Along with this, maintains small molecule libraries in workable form 10% - Prepares well-organized daily laboratory records of experimental procedures and results 5% - Presents research routinely to the lab at lab meetings and participate in lab meeting discussions 5% - Processes orders for the laboratory. Help keep the lab safe, clean, and compliant. Help maintain and set-up laboratory equipment 5% - Upon request, performs other tasks requested to maintain a smooth operation of laboratory Additional
Minimum Requirements: A high school diploma and two years work experience in a clinical or research setting; a bachelor's degree in chemistry, biology, or other natural, life or health care science may be substituted for the two years of required experience. Physical Requirements: (Note: The following descriptions are applicable to this
Continuous - 6-8 hours per shift; Frequent - 2-6 hours per shift; Infrequent - 0-2 hours per shift) Ability to perform job functions in an upright position. (Frequent) Ability to perform job functions in a seated position. (Continuous) Ability to perform job functions while walking/mobile. (Frequent) Ability to climb, using step stool. (Infrequent) Ability to work in temperature extremes (32° F to 100° F) when required due to assignments in cold rooms and/or foreign countries. (Infrequent) Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces. (Continuous) Ability to bend at the waist. (Frequent) Ability to twist at the waist. (Frequent) Ability to fully use both hands/arms. (Continuous) Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders. (Frequent) Ability to fully use both legs. (Frequent) Ability to reach in all directions, stretch, bend, while moving items/materials from both sitting and standing positions. (Frequent) Ability to maintain good olfactory sensory function/distinction. (Continuous) Ability to lift materials up to 20 lbs., unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lift and carry 4 liter waste material bottles a distance of 30 feet, unassisted. (Frequent) Ability to lift and carry 25-30 lbs. jugs of liquid a distance of 100 feet, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lift file boxes, from floor level to counter tops, unassisted. (Frequent) Ability to push/ Ability to lift 40 lbs. centrifuge rotors from floor level to height of 40 inches, then down 20 inches into centrifuge drum, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lift 25 lbs. boxes, from floor level to maximum height of 72 inches, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to push/pull file boxes from one location to another at floor level. (Frequent) Ability to maneuver heavy equipment on bench tops, 50 lbs. or greater, unassisted. (Frequent) Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements. (Continuous) Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one eye or with both eyes. (Continuous) Ability to match or discriminate between colors, normally. (Continuous) Ability to hear and recognize various alarms emitting from work area systems. (Continuous) Ability to hear and/or understand conversations. (Continuous) Ability to work in a darkroom for processing film, etc. (Continuous) Ability to be qualified physically for respirator use, initially and annually. (Continuous) Additional New Requirements: Ability to work rotating shifts as required. Ability to work overtime as required. Ability to learn and use new processes, tools and equipment as required. If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us! The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need. Medical University of South Carolina participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees Thank you for wanting to be part of the Medical University of South Carolina team. Whether you want to teach the next generation of health care leaders, innovate new business models, discover the next breakthrough or provide patient care, there's a role for you that fuels your passion and takes advantage of your skills. There are career opportunities available in academics, research, hospital medicine, physician practices and support services, from patient billing to IT. As an applicant, you can search jobs for all MUSC entities as well as search by category and location. MUSC attracts more than $250 million annually in research funding, making it the biggest magnet for biomedical, extramural research dollars of all institutions of higher learning in South Carolina. The Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program aims to advance clinical and translational science to increase the speed at which new treatments become available to patients. MUSC Health, the clinical enterprise, operates a 750 bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children’s Hospital, the Ashley River Tower (cardiovascular, digestive disease, and surgical oncology), Hollings Cancer Center (one of fewer than 70 elite National Cancer Institute designated centers), a Level I Trauma Center and the Institute of Psychiatry. In addition, there are more than 100 outreach clinics, hospital/health system affiliations, and telehealth sites. U.S. News & World Report placed us among the top one percent of all American hospitals, with 11 specialties in the top 50. The MUSC Medical Center is also one of only three Magnet® designated hospitals in South Carolina.
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