Job Description

Job Description

The Suver Lab is a new addition to the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Our research aims to reveal fundamental principles of nervous system function using a uniquely tractable and powerful model in Drosophila. The Research Assistant (Term) will be a key individual contributor responsible for research in the Suver Lab at Vanderbilt. Experience with biological research in a lab setting or relevant coursework in biology/computer science/mechanical engineering/electrical engineering or related area preferred. Reporting directly to the Lab PI (Suver), duties may include maintaining fly stocks, running behavior experiments and analyzing video data, connectomic and anatomical studies, and immunohistochemistry. The fposition requires the ability to perform experiments and work together with Suver lab graduate student and postdoc trainees, and interact with faculty, staff, and students within the Department of Biological Sciences. A minimum of a two-year commitment is required.

The Suver Lab uses state of the art tools and techniques to understand general principles that nervous systems use to predict and learn about the world. We investigate mechanisms of sensory-motor planning and coordination at the cellular, circuit, and behavioral level with a multidisciplinary approach. Using a combination of quantitative behavior, electrophysiology, imaging, pharmacology, connectomic and genetic tools, we seek to understand fundamental principles of neuroscience using highly tractable neural circuits in Drosophila.

About the Work Unit:

The Department of Biological Sciences has an excellent staff to facilitate issue resolution involving personnel, financial management, supply and equipment orders proposal submission, and infrastructure. The faculty in the department carry out diverse research projects and often collaborate with other members within the department and in nearby departments.

The Department of Biological Sciences covers a broad spectrum of biology, from molecules and cells to tissues and organisms to populations and ecosystems. Award-winning faculty and graduate students teach and carry out research in Biochemistry, Structural Biology and Biophysics, Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, Developmental Biology, and Neurobiology.



Duties and Responsibilities

Opportunity to perform independent research

Organize and maintain laboratory reagents and equipment

Maintain fly stocks, including following protocols for making fly food

Record, analyze, interpret, and communicate data/results

Build new experimental apparatuses as needed, and operate and troubleshoot equipment

Attend and present at weekly lab meetings, bi-monthly journal clubs, and engage in departmental seminars

Train new research technicians, graduate and undergraduate students

Actively help maintain an inclusive, welcoming, supportive, and professional environment

Be a collaborative and interactive member of our research community

Other duties as required




Qualifications

2+ years in a research lab setting required
Bachelor’s or associates degree in biological sciences, neuroscience or related field such as computer science, electrical engineering, or mechanical engineering is preferred
Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people in a diverse community is required

Skill in organizing resources, establishing priorities, and attention to detail is strongly preferred

Basic lab experience preferred

Proficiency with some programming language preferred

Attention to detail is necessary

Willingness to learn new techniques essential

oversee

Supervisory Relationships
This position does not have supervisory responsibility but may oversee students in the lab; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Lab PI. The Research Assistant will hold weekly meetings to gauge progress toward the lab’s goals.