Skip to main content

Project Scientist, Co-Director – High-throughput Screening – California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences – Core Facility

We are no longer accepting applications for this recruitment. Browse open recruitments

Position overview

Position title: Project Scientist
Salary range: Salary is commensurate with experience.
Percent time: 50%
Anticipated start: September 2022
Position duration: One year with the possibility of extension based on satisfactory and availability of funding.

Position description

The California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences at the University of California, Berkeley High-throughput Screening Facility (QB3-HTSF) seeks applications for a part-time Project Scientist. The Project Scientist, Co-Director will work with current use PIs and researchers to facilitate projects for the HTSF and provide extensive follow up consulting services in the area of high-throughput screening. Additionally, they will seek out additional research projects that will provide expert project development of research plans and the respective supportive funding. The position encompasses facility/project management, implementation, and contributions to reporting of results by presentations to supervisors. The position includes administrative duties to onboard new users, including external users, schedule incoming QB3-HTSF service requests, renewal equipment service contracts, facilitating HTSF Users Group meetings and outreach, and organizing and writing instrument grants to keep the facility equipment relevant to its users. A research background in high-throughput/high-content confocal imaging projects involving genomic screening (siRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 or other), and other multi-conditional phenotypic/morphological/drug library screening is highly desired.
The Project Scientist will advance projects through contribution of their own expertise, especially in the area of cell-based assay development, automated microscope set up optimization, and image analysis. The successful candidate will also help support our flagship automated microscope, the Opera Phenix by Perkin Elmer, with training, and aiding researcher implementation of their project pipelines especially in the area of more advanced image acquisition set ups. The candidate will take a lead role on outreach of the QB3-HTSF, such as the UC Berkeley Facilities Directors, other imaging facilities on campus, workshops, conference talks, or departmental retreats as a way to cultivate new relationships for collaborative projects that the Project Scientist can be involved in. The Project Scientist’s expert assistance will expedite the significant downstream data-intensive post-imaging steps that include image analysis, HT/HC screening QC assessment, and data visualization (bio-imaging informatics). The activities of the Project Scientist will advance QB3-HTSF’s capabilities and PI projects.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Project Scientist, Development and Project Management
o Develop project plans in collaboration with PIs that will cover the Project Scientist’s independent or collaborative medium scope projects that benefit both the PI and the HTSF (Grant research aims and facility development). Implementation will include project management, creating reports and presenting result updates to the researchers and PIs, as well as hands-on work to fulfill the project plan aims.

o Develop project plans with outside users including start-up company clients to describe the work to be done for their project by either company staff or by HTSF staff including the Project Scientist, this project plan will go into the UCB Business Contracts and/or Brand Protection access/service contract. Implementation will include project management, creating reports and presenting result updates to the clients, as well as hands-on work to fulfill the project plan.

o Develop and manage project plans to work with PIs or start-up company clients for the HTSF to perform entire screens or other large scope projects at the HTSF, including all processes such as assay optimization decisions, development of high-content analysis development, and quality control assessment. Implementation of these solely service projects will include project management, creating reports and presenting result updates to the PIs, supervisors, or start-up company clients, as well as hands-on work to fulfill the project plans.

o Responsible for identifying funding opportunities, instrument grant writing, and in manuscript writing as a contributing author if working with the PI.
• HTSF Operation:
o Oversee the operation of the Opera Phenix automated confocal imager and analysis pipeline.
o Understand and use the HTSF’s liquid handling automation pipeline and instrumentation that may be required for independent project implementation
o Monitor computer and network related issues and coordination troubleshooting and improvements with IT.
o Work with researchers (45+) to ensure that planning, training, execution, and follow-up of screens are within the researcher’s time requirements and specifications.
o Keep HTSF supervisor informed of current priorities, lab issues and keep a notebook of daily work, issues, and research results.
o Utilize iLab scheduling/permissions software to schedule their independent project use on instruments and/or computer workstation, as well as allowing researchers access to instruments once they have been trained on the automated microscope sufficiently.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• PhD or equivalent international degree

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

• Five (5) years of research experience in a lab setting.

Preferred qualifications

• PhD or equivalent international degree in Biology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering or related field
• At least two (2) years of experience in cellular high-throughput assay development.
• At least two (2) years of experience with BSL-2 engineering control adherence and proper PPE and waste disposal procedures.
• At least one (1) year of experience with automated imagers from at least one commercial vendor such as Molecular Devices, ThermoFisher, or Perkin Elmer.
• Demonstrated program development success.
• Demonstrated understanding of fluorescent biomarkers and the optimizations needed for successful HT/HC cell-based assay screening.
• Execution and completion of a cell-based genomic siRNA or other high-throughput and/or high content screen of at least medium size (1000 - 10000 different conditions in 96-well or higher multiwall plates)
• Experience programming with one of the following image analysis software packages (or equivalent)
o Harmony, Cell Profiler, Columbus, MetaXpress Custom Module Editor, INCarta
o ImageJ (Fiji), Matlab, Python, R, etc.
o Spotfire, StratoMineR. Tableau, KNIME
• Strong Organizational skills to work independently, meeting competing deadlines and managing multiple activities, with appropriate attention to detail.
• Excellent interpersonal, customer service, and oral/written communication skills.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Research (Optional)

  • Statement on Contributions to Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Statement on your contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including information about your understanding of these topics, your record of activities to date, and your specific plans and goals for advancing equity and inclusion if hired at Berkeley (for additional information go to https://ofew.berkeley.edu/recruitment/contributions-diversity).

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF03491

Help contact: n.singh@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Berkeley, CA