Basic Scientist Asst 1

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of diverse individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your diversity of culture, thinking, learning, and leading is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Pediatric Infectious Disease

Job Summary:

JOB SUMMARY

This position is that of a senior laboratorian in the Vanderbilt Infection Surveillance and Prevention Research (VISPR) Program in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The VISPR laboratory supports multiple large internal and collaborative programs of high-impact research to protect human health.

The successful candidate will have graduate training in microbiology, infectious diseases, and data science. Expertise in infectious disease epidemiology and related analytical methods is preferred. Relevant knowledge, skills, and experience include: aseptic technique; human specimen collection and processing; nucleic acid extraction; quantitative PCR performance and design; serology using multiple assay methods and platforms (ELISA, liquid bead array, Mesoscale, hemagglutination-inhibition, viral neutralization); automated liquid handling and human specimen processing; cell and virus culture; DNA cloning and gene expression; muti-modal signal detection (e.g., luminometry, fluorometry, colorimetry); and specimen biobanking. Other desired proficiencies include strong skills in the use of programming (e.g., R) statistical analysis (e.g., SAS), and data visualization (e.g., Prism) tools.

.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Lab activities

• Mange and coordinate laboratory projects.

• Design, develop, verify, implement, and validate assays.

• Introduce new equipment and technologies into the laboratory.

• Automate data analysis, interpretation, reporting, and storage.

• Develop standard operating procedures, training protocols, and methods of competency assessment.

• Train personnel in laboratory techniques and assure ongoing proficiency.

• Interface the laboratory with other VISPR Program units (e.g., data, clinical, management) and internal and external collaborators.

Presentation and publication

• Assist principal investigator in writing research grants and contract proposals.

• Prepare manuscripts for scientific journals.

• Assist in the planning, review, and editing of materials for publication by other team members.

• Present research findings at meetings and conferences.

• Develop interim and final reports of research findings.

• undefined.

Administrative, operational, and educational

• Work closely with the laboratory quality director and section leads to assure high-caliber laboratory outputs and adherence to best laboratory practices.

• Interact with divisional and departmental administration, institutional biosafety committee, facilities management, and other institutional and extramural entities to maintain the laboratory enterprise.

• Make recommendations to principal investigator regarding staff, supply, and equipment needs.

• Provide mentoring and education in laboratory principles and methods to laboratory staff, post-doctoral fellows, students, and other VISPR team members.

  TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES

Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.

World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.

Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions, the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff. 

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas. - Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service. - Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively :- Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.- Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications :

Work Experience :

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level :

Less than 1 year

Education :

Doctorate

Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. EOE/AA/Women/Minority/Vets/Disabled