Laboratory Research Technician II

The University of Pittsburgh, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Rheumatology is seeking a highly motivated Research Technician to join a laboratory investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cytokine signaling in immune-mediated disease. The successful candidate will contribute to multidisciplinary projects focused on understanding cytokine signaling pathways using mouse models, immunological techniques, and high-dimensional transcriptomic analyses.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Immunology, Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related life sciences field.
• Experience with basic molecular biology and immunology laboratory techniques.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience handling and maintaining mouse colonies, including breeding, genotyping, and experimental procedures.
• Familiarity with transcriptomic approaches, including RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing.
• Proficiency in R programming for transcriptomic data analysis, visualization, and statistical analyses.
• Experience with bioinformatics tools such as Seurat, DESeq2, or related packages is highly desirable.
• Previous experience in immunology, cytokine signaling, inflammation, or autoimmune disease research.

The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about biomedical research, eager to develop new technical and computational skills, and interested in contributing to studies that advance our understanding of cytokine signaling and immune regulation. This position offers opportunities for scientific growth, collaboration, and co-authorship on publications arising from the laboratory's research.

Performs a variety of laboratory experiments and procedures. Prepares specimens. Oversees supply management. Operates and properly maintains equipment.

• Perform laboratory experiments investigating cytokine signaling and immune responses using established protocols.
• Maintain and manage mouse colonies, including breeding, genotyping, health monitoring, record keeping, and routine animal handling in accordance with institutional and federal animal care regulations.
• Perform mouse procedures such as injections, blood collection, tissue harvest, and necropsy following approved animal protocols.
• Isolate and process tissues and immune cells for downstream molecular and cellular analyses.
• Conduct immunological and molecular biology techniques including flow cytometry, cell culture, ELISA, qPCR, Western blotting, and nucleic acid extraction.
• Prepare samples for bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses, including RNA isolation, quality assessment, and library preparation support.
• Analyze and interpret transcriptomic datasets using R and established bioinformatics pipelines, including data visualization and statistical analysis.
• Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks, electronic records, and experimental databases.
• Adhere to institutional biosafety, chemical safety, and animal care policies and maintain required training certifications.

Must be able to sit or stand for prolonged periods of time.