Laboratory Technician

The successful candidate will contribute to the research by performing a range of research related tasks which may include any of the following:

Assist with Laboratory Experiments

• Under routine direction, assist in the conduct of major experiments and research programs and/or in setting up, maintaining, and monitoring complex or unusual equipment for a range of experiments and demonstrations. Such experiments include static and dynamic in vitro infection models, biofilm models and related systems.
• Perform standard bacterial susceptibility testing, dilution series, standard bacterial identifications (including Gram-stains), phenotypic assays to assess bacterial susceptibility and record growth curves.
• Quantify bacterial viability counts of the total population and of resistant populations by antibiotic containing agar plates (including preparation of agar plates with defined antibiotic concentrations).
• Perform standard light microscopy analyses and, under routine direction, assist in experiments which involve advanced and standard microscopy techniques.
• Under routine direction, assist with HPLC, LC-MS/MS and other bio-analytical work (e.g. for sample preparation).
• Prepare, standardize and dispense sterile media solutions and bench reagents as required for research programs.
• Prepare, autoclave, clean and sterilize plastic- and glassware as well as instruments as required for research programs.
• Under routine direction, assist in experiments that include molecular methods to characterize mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, gene expression in response to antibiotic treatment, isolation of RNA and DNA, real-time RT-PCR, and related techniques.
• Under routine direction, assist in experiments that include biochemical methods to quantitate binding of antibiotics to their receptors, isolation and purification of membranes, proteins, and other biomolecules and cell components, and related techniques.
• Other duties as required within the scope of the classification of this position.

Equipment & Sample Maintenance

• Maintain and document a bacterial culture collection.
• Maintain live cultures and maintenance (as required).
• Develop new equipment to criteria developed and specified by others.
• Ensure the laboratory area is maintained in a tidy and safe working environment, check and replenish stocks and assist in the maintenance of apparatus, equipment and instruments.
• Maintain, setup and operate technical services for research laboratories, e.g. spectrophotometers, pH meters, balances, microscopes, video equipment and computers.

 Laboratory Support

• Demonstrate the use of equipment and prepare reports of a technical nature as directed.
• Maintain and monitor laboratory biosafety and chemical safety plans in coordination with the UF Biosafety Officers and other colleagues
• Managing and ordering of laboratory supplies and small equipment in coordination with the supervisor, the College’s fiscal team and other colleagues.