Research Specialist RESEARCH NEUROLOGY HV

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Job Summary

Education
Master's Degree Related Field of Study required

Experience
Experience in an academic or laboratory research setting 3-5 years required

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Must be a problem solver willing to take the initiative and prioritize tasks, thereby ensuring the smooth and efficient conduct of several projects simultaneously.
- A high degree of computer literacy in order to use various spreadsheet, database, accounting and word processing programs to assist in administrative, grant proposal preparation, and research reporting activities.
- Excellent organizational skills in order to formulate, implement, and monitor a number of interrelated tasks.
- Ability to exercise discretion and good judgment in handling of sensitive and confidential information.
- Ability to work under deadline pressure and prioritize work from several sources.
- Excellent interpersonal skills for internal and external communications.

Preferred:

The Venkatesh Lab (https://venkateshlab.org) is at the forefront of cancer neuroscience, exploring the intersection of cancer biology and neuroscience to uncover the electrical and molecular mechanisms driving neuron-cancer communication. Our research focuses on characterizing and therapeutically targeting these pathways in the central and peripheral nervous systems, with the goal of developing innovative treatments by exploiting tumor microenvironment dependencies.

We are seeking a detail-oriented, motivated Research Specialist to provide technical and research support for our lab's projects. This role involves a mix of research execution (60%), mouse model work (30%), and lab upkeep (10%). Experience with mouse handling is required, and a passion for contributing to high-impact neuroscience and cancer research is essential.

Research Support (60%)
Collaborate with researchers to generate high-quality data for publications, grant proposals, and presentations.
Perform advanced mammalian cell culture (routine maintenance, transfection, differentiation).
Independently executes experiments and performs data analyses of moderate complexity.
Independently conduct IHC/IF staining, tissue mounting, and imaging (confocal/fluorescence microscopy), including image acquisition, processing, and quantitative analysis.
Contribute to the preparation of reports, summaries, and presentations of research findings.
Mentor and train new lab members in techniques such as mouse handling, genotyping, and experimental design.

Mouse Work (30%)
Develop, maintain, and manage xenograft models, including patient-derived xenografts (PDX), in rodent models.
Perform hands-on in vivo procedures including compound administration by multiple routes (IM, IP, IV, SC), blood collection, tissue collection, necropsy, and clinical observations
Collect, organize, and interpret experimental data using standard data analysis software and methodologies.
Ensure adherence to animal welfare regulations, research protocols, and laboratory best practices.

Lab Upkeep (10%)
Maintain a clean, organized, and compliant lab environment, including proper storage of reagents, cells, and samples.
Manage inventory and ordering of reagents and consumables.
Calibrate and perform routine maintenance on critical equipment (microscopes, centrifuges, PCR machines).
Ensure compliance with biosafety, animal care, and chemical safety regulations.
Maintain accurate documentation (protocols, experimental records, safety data sheets).
3-5 years of experience in an academic research setting outside of coursework required.
Demonstrated experience with mammalian tissue culture and aseptic technique.

-2+ years of hands-on in vivo research experience with demonstrated ability to execute studies with increasing independence
-Ability to design, execute, and troubleshoot protocols and experiments for vari-ous projects in the lab.
-Experience performing common in vivo procedures including mouse handling, dosing, blood collection, tissue harvest, and necropsy
-Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality data generation, doc-umentation, and reproducibility
-Able to compile, analyze, and present data in a timely fashion, with an attention to detail and careful consideration of deadlines.

Pay Range

Grade