ACI Federal is seeking a Laboratory Technician to join our vibrant team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) located in Bethesda, MD.

Overall Position Summary and Objectives The purpose of this position is to support the lab day-to-day activities including coordination of lab experiments, procedures, animal colony management, and supply ordering/tracking and safety management. The position will also assist with data acquisition and analysis.

Deliverables:

• Clean Equipment - Daily
• Run Validation - Weekly
• Inspect Equipment - Weekly
• Meet with lab members to present updates - Weekly
• Perform Experiments - Daily
• Mouse Colony Management - Daily
• Maintain electronic lab records - Ad-Hoc
• Lab supply management (ordering and tracking) - Ad-Hoc

Work Details:

• Provide training to staff on the performance of laboratory experiments, assays and protocols. 1
• Train new laboratory members in the correct use of equipment, application of techniques and laboratory protocols. 2
• Work with staff to monitor and ensure that appropriate laboratory safety courses and certifications for staff are up to date. 3
• Plans, executes, and arranges laboratory experiments, new techniques and procedures; and performs laboratory techniques relating to scientific research.
• Perform fundamental procedures required for research projects.
• Follow established procedures and protocols; utilize aseptic technique to perform experiments.
• Perform a variety of laboratory techniques and procedures.
• Plan and execute experiments for in vitro and in vivo studies, including cell culture, Western blotting and immunofluorescence/immunohistochemistry.
• Perform experiments on samples according to protocols.
• Perform routine experiments and tests; follow established procedures and protocols.
• Operates laboratory machines and instruments; and prepares specimens and equipment for use.
• Work with staff on processing specimens for embedding according to protocols.
• Prepare materials and equipment for experiments.
• Maintain stocked supplies and records of working reagents, including fixatives, buffers, solvents and staining.
• Process and organize multiple samples simultaneously.
• Work with a variety of routine and specialized laboratory instruments and equipment in the laboratory.
• Ensure that all specimens and equipment necessary for experiments are available and in good order.
• Prepare specimens and equipment for use in the laboratory.
• Perform processing, description and analysis of specimens.
• Performs sample management and storage.
• Store new samples, update database, retrieve samples with proper authorization.
• Upkeep sample and database inventory; monitor overall sample inventory.
• Retrieve, catalog and process samples including but not limited to blood and tumor tissue.
• Perform quality control procedures necessary to ensure the accuracy of each test system, sample processing, storage and inventory of samples.
• Maintain inventory system and sample storage according to outlined guidelines.
• Ensure that policies and procedures regarding sample retrieval and use are followed.
• Perform processing, description and analysis of samples.
• Work with staff to implement storage and distribution of biological samples for future scientific research.
• Analyzes, documents and reports on all procedures performed.
• Convey and discuss research results with team lab members.
• Update and maintain written laboratory record of the work.
• Collect and enter research data into laboratory notebooks and databases.
• Assemble, manipulate and format test results.
• Maintain and update laboratory notebooks and databases; and enter experimental data into spreadsheet and conduct statistical analysis.
• Collect data and prepare for analysis and interpretation.
• Work with staff on the maintenance of laboratory logs and databases.
• Analyze, summarize and interpret data obtained from research studies; evaluate for completeness and validity.
• Draw conclusions about the results as related to the ability of the experiments to answer the questions posed.
• Interpret results of initial analysis to reveal conclusions and shortcomings.
• Maintains inventory of laboratory supplies.
• Ensure that supplies and consumables are ready and on hand as necessary for maximum efficiency in the laboratory.
• Cleans and sterilizes instruments, glassware and equipment.
• Work with staff to cover glassware washing, media preparation, and autoclaving.
• Clean glassware and microscopic slides.
• Clean and sterilize laboratory equipment such as glasses, metal instruments, sinks, tables and test panels.
• Ensure that adequate clean inventory is available for immediate usage.
• Plan execute and arrange laboratory experiments, new techniques and procedures; and performs laboratory techniques relating to scientific research.
• Perform fundamental procedures required for research projects.
• Perform routine experiments and tests, including tissue culture, cell separation, protein, and quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Perform primary cell culture techniques and immunohistochemistry.
• Follow established procedures and protocols; utilize aseptic technique to perform experiments.
• Perform a variety of laboratory techniques and procedures.
• Plan and execute experiments for in vitro and in vivo studies, including cell culture, Western blotting and immunofluorescence/immunohistochemistry.
• Perform routine analysis and tests on specimens in the laboratory.
• Perform experiments on samples according to protocols.
• Perform routine experiments and tests; follow established procedures and protocols.
• Maintains inventory of laboratory supplies and initiates purchase orders.
• Monitor and inventory routine laboratory supplies; ensure that supplies are stocked and organized.
• Manage the laboratory logistics and supply flow by tracking the consumption of laboratory materials.
• Plan and organize requests for basic and extraordinary laboratory needs for supplies and consumables.
• Ensure that supplies and consumables are ready and on hand as necessary for maximum efficiency in the laboratory.
• Monitor inventory levels and proper storage of materials and supplies in accordance with established policies and procedures.
• Establish and maintain a record of laboratory supply usage.
• Inventory laboratory supplies and equipment, make recommendations and prepare purchase requests.
• Work with staff to maintain stocked supplies and records of working reagents, including fixatives, buffers, solvents and staining.
• Ensure that reagents are made correctly and that expired reagents or defective products are replaced to ensure validity of results.
• Order and maintain laboratory supplies, reagents and equipment.
• Performs routine equipment maintenance.
• Perform laboratory maintenance tasks, including scheduling liquid waste container pickup.
• Monitor equipment performance and maintenance schedules.
• Assist in troubleshooting and calibrating various laboratory equipment and instruments.
• Coordinate general laboratory maintenance, including equipment upkeep and calibration.
• Perform calibration, run controls and enter results for various equipment.
• Perform regularly scheduled maintenance on and generate maintenance reports for equipment.
• Perform preventive maintenance on laboratory equipment.
• Maintain technical acuity requirements.
• Carry out calibration; organize and initiate service and preventative maintenance on equipment.
• Monitor and maintain contracts for laboratory equipment and monitor equipment performance and maintenance schedule.
• Plan execute and arrange laboratory experiments, new techniques and procedures; and performs laboratory techniques relating to scientific research.
• Perform fundamental procedures required for research projects.
• Perform routine experiments and tests, including tissue culture, cell separation, protein, and quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Follow established procedures and protocols; utilize aseptic technique to perform experiments.
• Perform a variety of laboratory techniques and procedures.
• Plan and execute experiments for in vitro and in vivo studies, including cell culture, Western blotting and immunofluorescence/immunohistochemistry.
• Perform routine analysis and tests on specimens in the laboratory.
• Perform experiments on samples according to protocols.
• Perform routine experiments and tests; follow established procedures and protocols.
• Analyzes, documents and reports on all procedures performed and produces detailed reports for use by senior staff.
• Provide experimental progress updates on procedures performed in the laboratory.
• Prepare reports and summaries based on results and findings.
• Prepare reports and summaries; prepare data for presentation at laboratory meetings.
• Record details of experimental procedures, results and protocols.
• Present results and conclusions in written, tabular and graphic form.
• Prepare accumulated data and conclusions for publication in professional journals.
• Write reports detailing experiments and data analysis; produce publication quality graphs.
• Collect, analyze and interpret data; prepare summaries and reports based on results and findings.
• Performs advanced equipment maintenance.
• Perform laboratory maintenance tasks, including scheduling liquid waste container pickup.
• Monitor equipment performance and maintenance schedules.
• Assist in troubleshooting and calibrating various laboratory equipment and instruments.
• Coordinate general laboratory maintenance, including equipment upkeep and calibration.
• Perform calibration, run controls and enter results for various equipment.
• Perform regularly scheduled maintenance on and generate maintenance reports for equipment.
• Perform preventive maintenance on laboratory equipment.
• Maintain technical acuity requirements.
• Carry out calibration; organize and initiate service and preventative maintenance on equipment.
• Monitor and maintain contracts for laboratory equipment and monitor equipment performance and maintenance schedule.
• Trains staff in performing routine laboratory tests and procedures.
• Provide technical help and expertise to lab members.
• Prepare training materials and presentations for staff training.
• Provide one-on-one and group training related to safety standards on usage and disposal of chemicals and reagents.
• Train new staff on the use, calibration and maintenance of laboratory equipment.
• Instruct collaborators in use of chemical instrumentation and basic data analysis.
• Distribute educational and outreach materials to laboratories as part of routine safety surveys.
• Provides insights and expertise and recommends new strategies and approaches.
• Engage in problem solving as required to solve technical difficulties and to ensure steady progress, with a goal of providing high quality experimental data suitable for publication.
• Evaluate new types of experimental approaches/analyses and recommend changes to protocols.
• Determine when modifications and adjustments are necessary for experiments.
• Develop and assist in new assays for application based on requests from investigators
• Recognize and initiate the investigation into problems with clinical laboratory procedures and equipment;
• Identify pitfalls in the original choice of methods or experimental direction and redirect the study to achieve improved results.
• Troubleshoot issues with technical procedures; utilize trial and error methods customize protocols to the biological systems utilized in the laboratory.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5 represents priority rankings, where 1 is highest priority and 5 is lowest priority of those ranked

Minimum Education

Bachelor

Additional Qualifications:

Certifications & Licenses

• Experience in lab coordination is sufficient for consideration

Field of Study

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Physiology

Software

• Powerpoint
• MS Office products such as Word and Excel
• Outlook
• NIH POTS

Skills

• Maintaining Stock Solutions
• Intraperitoneal Injections
• Subcutaneous Injections
• Intravenous Injections
• Animal Handling: Mouse
• Intramuscular Injections

Apply now!