Department: Knight Campus
Rank: Research Assistant/Associate
Annual Basis: 12 Month

Review of Applications Begins

March 27, 2023, position open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with your online application, please upload a CV and letter of interest detailing your areas of expertise.

Department Summary

The Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact is a billion-dollar initiative designed to fast-track scientific discoveries and the process of turning those discoveries into innovations that improve the quality of life for people in Oregon, the nation, and beyond. The Knight Campus will reshape the higher education landscape in Oregon by training the next generations of scientists, forging tighter ties with industry and entrepreneurs, and creating new educational opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.

The Regenerative Rehabilitation Moonshot program of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance is based in the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon and synergizes regenerative medicine and rehabilitation protocols to restore function to damaged tissues. We believe an integrated interdisciplinary approach can dramatically accelerate healing and optimize functional recovery following a range of tissue damage levels and even help prevent injuries before they happen.

For more information visit https://accelerate.uoregon.edu/performance

Position Summary

The Research Assistant or Associate at the Knight Campus at the University of Oregon requires a self-motivated individual with excellent organizational, research, and communication skills to participate in various new and ongoing research projects. The Research Assistant/Associate works closely with Associate Professor Nick Willett on work related to the Willett Lab, other Knight Campus Labs, and the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance. The Research Associate manages research projects, designs and implements lab research and assessment, and maintains, manages, and trains researchers on critical shared infrastructure, including histology (microtome and cryostat), flow cytometry (analyzer, spectral analyzer, and cell sorter systems), and imaging equipment (Leica Thunder).

Additionally, the Research Assistant/Associate will help manage the regenerative rehabilitation human performance organoid facility within the Human Performance Alliance to include dynamic 3D tissue culture systems, bioreactors, and real-time imaging systems to implement pre-clinical loading regimens to simulate rehabilitation and evaluate cellular, structural, and functional outcomes. They may perform cell culture, fabricate scaffolds, and primary cell isolations, implement differentiation and dynamic loading conditions, and implement novel treatments and technologies to enhance regenerative and performance-related outcomes in the organoid systems. They will establish and implement standardized SOPs for cell culture models, loading systems, and assessments that can be used across the Alliance and will provide training and oversight for their implementation. They will also write and manage protocols and reports.

The Research Assistant/Associate will work on the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance Regenerative Rehabilitation Moonshot program. This program, based at the University of Oregon, synergizes regenerative medicine and rehabilitation protocols to restore function to damaged tissues. An integrated interdisciplinary approach can dramatically accelerate healing, optimize functional recovery following a range of tissue damage levels, and even help prevent injuries before they happen.

The position reports to Nick Willett, Associate Professor in the Department of Bioengineering, and Associate Director of the Wu Tsai Human Performance Alliance at Oregon.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelors degree in bioengineering, human physiology, biology, or related field.
• One year of experience working with musculoskeletal cell types.
• Two years of experience working with histology equipment, imaging equipment, and flow cytometry equipment.

Applicants with terminal degrees may be eligible for the Research Associate rank.

Professional Competencies

• Demonstrated research excellence in the area of human performance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Bioengineering, Biology, Human Physiology, Chemistry or Physics.
• Demonstrated skills relevant to cell characterization and/or biofabrication.
• More than three years as a manager or project team leader in a research environment.

University of Oregon students and employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For additional information see: https://hr.uoregon.edu/uo-covid-19-vaccination-requirement-employee-process.

The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.

The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.

UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.

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