Department: DPB – Plant Biology

Salary: Competitive

Location: Stanford, CA

We are currently looking for an enthusiastic Research Technician to work in the lab of Dr. Zhiyong Wang at Carnegie Institution for Science in Stanford, California. The Wang lab is broadly interested in the cellular signaling mechanisms that regulate growth, development, adaptation, and immunity in plants. Our research focuses on the protein-protein interaction and posttranslational modification networks that mediate cellular responses to nutrients, hormones, and environmental signals in the model plants Arabidopsis and Chlamydomonas. We use a wide range of approaches including proteomics, genetics, genomics, genome editing, protein engineering, and chemical biology. Our goal is to improve plant productivity and resilience through the genetic or chemical manipulation of cellular signaling networks. For more information about the Wang lab, please visit https://dpb.carnegiescience.edu/labs/wang-lab.

Essential Duties:

• Assist lab scientists by performing investigative procedures. These may include molecular cloning, plant transformation, protein expression and purification, gel electrophoresis, immunoblot, chromatography. Training will be provided based on experience and interest.
• Record experimental procedures, collect and organize and verify the accuracy of data and information; analyze data and prepare charts, graphs and figures for presentation and publication.
• Support general lab operation by placing and receiving orders of supplies, preparing buffers and media, and maintaining organization of research materials and lab spaces.

Qualifications:

Education

• A bachelor’s degree is required. A major in molecular biology, chemistry, or a closely related scientific discipline is strongly preferred.

Experience

• At least 1 year of previous hands-on laboratory experience is required. Significant laboratory experience obtained during undergraduate studies (honors thesis, internship, etc.) is acceptable and will be considered.
• Previous experience working with molecular biology (DNA/RNA isolation, cloning, PCR), or protein biochemistry (purification and analysis by gel blot or mass spectrometry) techniques is strongly preferred.
• Experience working on Arabidopsis or algae is preferred but not required.

Application Instructions

• Inquiries about the position can be emailed to Zhiyong Wang at zywang24@stanford.edu with a subject line of Technician Job. Formal application should be submitted via the job posting on Carnegie Institution for Science careers page. Please include a cover letter briefly describing your research experience and interest, your resume/CV, and contact information for three professional references, preferably as one PDF document. 

Additional information:

The Department of Plant Biology of the Carnegie Institution for Science (formerly known as the Carnegie Institution of Washington) is a private U.S.-based non-profit endowment, located on the campus of Stanford University since 1928. Andrew Carnegie founded the Carnegie Institution of Washington in 1902 as an organization for scientific discovery to serve as a home to exceptional individuals – men and women – with imagination and extraordinary dedication capable of working at the cutting edge of their fields. Today, Carnegie scientists work in six scientific departments on the west and east coasts and at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. Carnegie investigators have made key discoveries in plant biology, including early experiments of local adaptation (Clausen, Keck, Hiesey), the discovery of transposable elements (McClintock), plant ecophysiology at global scales (Berry, Field), the discovery of key photosynthesis and phototropism genes (Grossman, Briggs), or The Arabidopsis Information Resource TAIR (Rhee, Somerville). The Department of Plant Biology (https://dpb.carnegiescience.edu) has state-of-the-art facilities for molecular genetic studies of plants, greenhouses and field sites, and computer resources. The lab is co-affiliated with the Carnegie Department of Global Ecology (https://dge.carnegiescience.edu), the Department of Biology at Stanford University (https://biology.stanford.edu) and with the center of Computational, Evolutionary and Human Genetics (http://cehg.stanford.edu). The ideal candidate would become an active member of this community and would strengthen collaborative connections with grad students, postdocs, and faculty members across campus.

Equal opportunity employer:

Carnegie is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected status in accordance with applicable laws. We aim to have a vibrantly diverse lab, which is essential to tackle scientific questions from different creative angles.