What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Assistant (Mouse Colony & Laboratory Operations) – Liang Lab position at The Wistar Institute?
The Liang Laboratory at The Wistar Institute is seeking a highly responsible and motivated Research Assistant with a primary focus on mouse colony management. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working with mice, is highly organized, and takes pride in maintaining a well-run and compliant research environment. Our laboratory studies fundamental cellular processes—including autophagy, apoptosis, DNA damage/repair, and intracellular trafficking—in cancer biology and viral infection.
This position centers on mouse colony oversight and lab operations support, rather than independent research projects. The successful candidate will play a key role in maintaining a healthy, well-organized mouse colony and supporting efficient lab function. There is potential for expanded responsibilities in lab operations over time.
Mouse Colony Management (Primary Focus):
- Maintain and expand mouse colonies (breeding, genotyping, and colony tracking).
- Plan breeding strategies and genetic crosses.
- Monitor colony health, maintain accurate records, and ensure compliance with institutional guidelines.
- Coordinate closely with animal facility staff and veterinary personnel.
Regulatory & Compliance:
- Assist with IACUC/IBC (and related) protocols and ensure compliance with animal use regulations.
- Serve as a liaison with the animal facility and compliance offices.
Work Ethic & Expectations:
- Strong accountability for animal welfare and colony integrity.
- Willingness to support time-sensitive tasks, including occasional weekend/holiday checks.
- Proactive planning to ensure continuity of colony management.
Additional Lab support (as needed):
- Assist with inventory, ordering, and lab organization.
- Maintain SOPs, records, and equipment coordination.
- Support onboarding and training of new lab members.
- Contribute to onboarding and training of new lab members where appropriate.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in biology or related field (or equivalent experience).
- Hands-on mouse experience required (breeding, genotyping, colony management).
- Familiarity with mouse genetics preferred.
- Highly organized, reliable, and able to work independently.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
The Wistar Institute, located in the University City area of Philadelphia, offers a highly collaborative and intellectually stimulating research environment with state-of-the-art facilities. Discoveries at Wistar have contributed to vaccine development, cancer biology, and numerous transformative technologies. We offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package.
For more information, please visit: www.wistar.org
It is the policy of the Institute to provide equal employment opportunities to all individuals regardless of race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, creed, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, veteran status, mental or physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), pregnancy, caregiver status, domestic or sexual violence victim status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or on the basis of genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law, with respect to all terms and conditions of employment.