How to Apply
A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.
Job Summary
The Lauren McCormick Lab investigates how the cell's microtubule cytoskeleton assembles, specializes, and evolves using both simulations and experiments. By studying these fundamental molecular machines, microtubules built from alpha- and beta-tubulin proteins, the lab seeks to answer open questions about how microtubules adapt and specialize in human cells and across diverse organisms. We aim to uncover how tubulin mutations contribute to human diseases, filling key gaps in our understanding of microtubule function and cytoskeletal disorders. The Research Laboratory Technician Senior provides essential technical lab support by performing complex laboratory and research-related tasks, and acting as a specialist on laboratory methods and equipment. Performs a variety of molecular biology techniques requiring a high degree of proficiency, also troubleshoots problems and recommends solutions. Evaluates experiment results using statistical analysis. May instruct graduate students and postdocs in laboratory techniques, instruments, and procedures.
The McCormick Lab is part of the Program in Biophysics. Biophysicists at Michigan are working in the fields of Structural Biology, Spectroscopy and Microscopy, Computational Biophysics and Bioinformatics, and Biophysical Chemistry. Approximately 80 graduate students, post-docs, and professors work in our well-equipped laboratories. The graduate program offers a flexible curriculum of exciting courses related to these fields, taking advantage of the resources available at a major research University.
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Michigan is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.
Why Work at Michigan?
We are so proud that the University of Michigan offers comprehensive benefits to support your wellness as you plan for a stable and secure future. To enhance a career filled with purpose and opportunity, other benefits include:
Generous time off programs.
Our retirement plan provides two-for-one matching contributions.
Comprehensive options for health, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance.
Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses.
Tuition support, including the ability to take undergraduate courses in LSA at no cost.
Meeting-free days and communication norms that help you to "unplug" from work.
Access to deals, discounts, and attractions; see Uniquely Michigan for details.
While you will primarily work from our central campus in Ann Arbor. To support work-life balance, LSA has an email policy that limits non-essential emails to weekday business hours. We invite you to take a look at LSA's mission, vision, and values.
Responsibilities*
- Perform research independently or supervised, providing data for manuscripts and grants.
- Analyze data using statistical approaches to find statistically significant differences.
- Analyze and present your work, and journal articles, at lab meeting.
- Assist graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with routine laboratory procedures like protein purification, plasmid preps, cell culture, western blotting, PCR, and SDS-PAGE electrophoresis.
- Maintain lab equipment, purchase lab supplies, restock the lab and assist with ordering.
- Maintain routine cell cultures
Required Qualifications*
- Bachelor's Degree with 1-3 years' experience required. A strong interest in and commitment to advancing our understanding of cytoskeletal function is essential.
- Prior experience with protein purification (FPLC system) is required.
- Prior experience with nucleic acid extraction (plasmid preps, routine PCR)
- Prior experience with cell culture is required.
Desired Qualifications*
- Experience with baculovirus systems and insect cell culture. Experience with bacmid nucleic acid preps.
- Experience developing and troubleshooting protein purification workflows.
- Experience making competent cells and cell stocks
Work Schedule
40 hours per week, full-time, Monday through Friday.
Modes of Work
Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.
Additional Information
As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.
To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit lsa.umich.edu/strategicvision.
Background Screening
The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Application Deadline
Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.
U-M EEO Statement
The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.