Summary

A Research Assistant  position is available in the Breast Center Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine.  The successful candidate will work closely on a number of funded projects in the Breast Center that rely on processing/sample extractions for molecular-focused studies, including proteogenomic tumor profiling by mass spectrometry, monitoring of circulating tumor DNA, and others. The successful candidate will play a critical role in coordinating activities between project collaborator(s), tissue providers, and the molecular diagnostics laboratory. This individual will be part of the testing personnel for high complexity testing anticipated under CLIA. 

Job Duties

• Assist with hypothesis development and experiment design.
• Manage electronic clinical sample inventories.
• Handle and process a variety of specimens, including tissue, blood, saliva etc.
• Extract  DNA, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), RNA, and protein samples for downstream studies.
• Perform initial QC/QA measures on the extracted samples.
• Coordinate deliverables with profiling cores and/or labs.
• Assist in machine maintenance and operation.
• Run tests, evaluate procedures and create and maintain standard procedures under CLIA surveillance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Basic Science or a related field.
• Two years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• BS/MS with 2-3 years of relevant experience in a biology or clinical laboratory.
• Organized and good at record keeping.
• Eagerness to learn and perform new assays; work with automated lab equipment.
• Experience in clinical high-complexity testing involving processing of tumor samples from patients (genomic and proteogenomic).
• Experience in qPCR and/or digital PCR preferred.