Senior Research Assistant - "Vivo"

Department Overview

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a pioneer in personalized cancer treatment and research, led by Dr. Brian Druker, whose development of Gleevec transformed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia from a fatal disease to a manageable one and proved that targeted therapies can work. The institute focuses on precision oncology, the early detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for its caregivers, researchers, and support personnel. Knight affiliates subscribe to three guiding principles: we are bold, we are supportive, and we work as a connected team in our fight to end cancer as we know it. We¿d love for you to join us!

Every Knight Cancer employee is expected to embody our guiding principles:

We act BOLDLY—Breakthroughs require pushing the boundaries of science, exploring new frontiers, and thinking differently

We SUPPORT each other—Respect leads to trust, which leads to excellence

We work as a CONNECTED team — We must leverage our collective brain power to conquer cancer because no one individual can do it alone

Function/Duties of Position

As a Senior Research Assistant , you will be part of a collaborative project team focused on drug development. You will support laboratory research by assisting in research activities of the project where needed and as appropriate for your training and interest. You will help to design and implement experiments and will have independent responsibility for research studies. You will conduct research with minimal supervision. You will have a detailed knowledge of all aspects of laboratory research and need to be comfortable working both individually and in highly collaborative teams. You should possess good organizational and interpersonal skills. You will contribute to the scientific direction and planning for experiments within the project. Major roles for you will involve providing support and working directly in experiments involving animal work, cellular and molecular biology experiments, assisting in experimental design, training scientists and supervising students and Research Assistants, maintaining laboratory space and supplies, assisting in various other research activities, and organizing samples, datasets and studies.

May be located in shared services/core or work directly under a Principal Investigator (PI) to include sample processing, assays, cell/tissue culture, animal studies, library research, data collection, recording transcription, etc.

Duties include:

Conducts molecular, cellular, and animal-based research experiments with minimal supervision.

Manages mouse colonies, including breeding, genotyping, recordkeeping, and experimental procedures.

Coordinates multiple research projects and supports study planning, documentation, and publication efforts.

Trains research staff and collaborates with internal research partners, including the Animal Research Core.

Develops research methods, maintains operational continuity, and supports laboratory activities as needed.

Laboratory organization and compliance

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's in relevant field AND 1 year of relevant experience OR Equivalent combination of training and experience

Experience with bioconjugation of biomolecules and biomolecule purification, general molecular biology techniques such as sample processing, cell culture, flow cytometry, DNA purification for mammalian cell cultures, PCR, gel electrophoresis, plate readers, western blot

Ability to operate complex scientific equipment and develop and troubleshoot complex experimental protocols

Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously: prioritize, schedule, manage and coordinate

Demonstrated ability to undertake research and project management work under broad direction only, exercise initiative in undertaking responsibilities and work effectively with team members

Demonstrated high level organization and communication skills

Demonstrated interpersonal skills, including the ability to work both collaboratively in a team and autonomously when required

Proven ability to work collaboratively with a high performing work group in problem solving

Demonstrated ability to build productive cross functional collaborations both internally and externally

Demonstrated ability to learn new and innovative processes quickly

Training in handling chemical and biologically hazardous materials

Knowledge of policy and regulations applicable to the laboratory, including but not limited to safety, animal use and radiation

Technical proficiency, scientific creativity, collaborative ability, and independent thinker

Ability to analyze short and long term project needs

Must have excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills: both written and verbal

Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships

Proficient with computers specifically MS Office (which includes, Excel, Access, Word and PowerPoint) and statistical analysis software

Preferred Qualifications

Ability to work with small animals

Experience working within OHSU’s Department of Comparative Medicine

Familiarity with OHSU shared research resources

Strong experience with mouse injections, xenograft tumors, and small animal imaging

Experience with cell and tissue culture

Experience with biologic tissue and sample collection and preparation

Experience in handling chemical and biologically hazardous materials

Ability to train diverse students and Research Assistants

Additional Details

Apply online. Please be sure to upload a Cover Letter and Resume/CV.

We offer a variety of benefits on top of joining a thriving organization:

Medical, dental and vision coverage at no or low cost to employees

Covered 100% for full-time employees and 88% for dependents

Several retirement plans to choose from with contributions from OHSU

208 hours of PTO per year

8 days of sick time off

9 paid holidays per year

Commuter subsidies

Tuition reimbursement

Access to group life insurance, disability insurance and other supplemental benefits

Annual Merit Increase

Growth/Development Opportunities

Employee discounts to local and major businesses

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Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu