Job Description

The Suver Lab is part of the Department of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt University and the Vanderbilt Brain Institute. Our research aims to understand fundamental principles of nervous system function using a uniquely tractable and powerful model in Drosophila. The Research Technician (Term) position 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. The position requires the ability to perform experiments and work together with Suver lab graduate students and postdoc trainees, and interact with faculty, staff, and students within the Department of Biological Sciences.

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, and genetic tools, we seek to understand fundamental principles of neuroscience using highly tractable neural circuits in Drosophila.

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. This department 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

• 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

• 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

Supervisory Relationships
This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively to the Departmental Administrative Manager and functionally to Professor Suver. The Research Technician will hold weekly meetings to gauge progress toward the lab’s goals.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.