Lab and Research Technician in Castorani Lab at UVA / VCR-LTER
The Castorani Lab at the University of Virginia seeks a technician (Lab and Research Technician 2) to support ecological research associated with the Virginia Coast Reserve Long Term Ecological Research project (VCR LTER). The technician will join a dynamic team of students and researchers studying the population and community ecology of restored oyster reefs and seagrass meadows in Virginia’s coastal bays, and provide logistical, technical, and data support for new research initiatives and ongoing long-term science.
Responsibilities of the position include:
- providing technical and logistical support for research activities in the laboratory and field;
- training and supervising undergraduate students in research; and
- supporting scientific outreach activities and public communication.
Field work may include boating, wading, and snorkeling in shallow estuarine environments; collecting fauna to assess abundance and biodiversity; and establishing and maintaining manipulative field experiments. Lab work may include identifying and enumerating fishes and invertebrates from preserved samples; evaluating methods, procedures, and techniques; and manipulating, visualizing, and analyzing long-term datasets.
The position is based in Charlottesville, VA, but will include multiday (or longer) overnight field trips to UVA’s Coastal Research Center in Oyster, VA. Field station housing will be provided and costs for personal transportation to the field will be reimbursed.
APPLICATION TIMELINE:
This full-time position will remain open until filled. The start date is negotiable. This is a restricted position contingent on continued funding.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Process for External Applicants: Please apply through UVA Workday, and search for “ENVS – Castorani Lab Tech 2”. Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three professional references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).
Process for Internal UVA Applicants: Please apply through your UVA Workday Home page, search “Find Jobs”, and search for “ENVS – Castorani Lab Tech 2”. Complete an application online and attach a cover letter, CV/resume, and contact information for three professional references (name, email address, telephone number, and address).
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
Education: Associate’s degree
Experience: At least 2 years of lab experience which may include student experience. Bachelor’s degree in related science will be considered in lieu of experience.
Licensure: None.
Lab and Research Technician 2 employees provide increasingly complex technical support for projects and may engage in increasingly complex scientific experiments. May handle more sophisticated administrative and logistical tasks. Lab and Research Technician 2 employees operate under supervision with a degree of independence when following set protocols and procedures.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
This position can spend extensive periods of time standing and squatting while conducting experiments or caring for animals. Also requires keyboarding and other bench work and animal procedures requiring finer finger manipulation.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
The preferred candidate is expected to:
- exhibit familiarity with scientific protocols and best practices for responsible handling of ecological samples and data;
- have or be willing to obtain basic coding or programming skills for data wrangling, visualization, and analysis in R;
- demonstrate a willingness to solve problems and find creative solutions to support scientific technology and field logistics;
- have experience or a willingness to gain experience working around water and boats in a coastal setting;
- have experience or a willingness to gain experience in public outreach, communication, and K-12 education;
- demonstrate the ability to work effectively with and support diverse local and scientific communities.
For further information about the position, please contact Dr. Max Castorani, Assistant Professor, at castorani@virginia.edu.
For questions regarding the application process, contact Rich Haverstrom at rkh6j@virginia.edu.
COVID Vaccination Requirement and Guidelines:
Please visit the UVA COVID-19 Job Requirements and Guidelines webpage prior to applying for current information regarding vaccination requirements and guidelines for employment at UVA.
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The University of Virginia, including the UVA Health System which represents the UVA Medical Center, Schools of Medicine and Nursing, UVA Physician’s Group and the Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, are fundamentally committed to the diversity of our faculty and staff. We believe diversity is excellence expressing itself through every person’s perspectives and lived experiences. We are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran status, and family medical or genetic information.
