This is a UC San Diego Internal Recruitment open to UCSD and UCSD Health System Staff Only

UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 09/26/2022 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.

Special Selection Applicants: Apply by 09/29/2022. Eligible Special Selection clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.

The UCSD Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences is composed of 66 faculty 14 clinical fellows, 4 Assistant Project Scientists/Postdoctoral Fellows. The department is composed of 7 divisions: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Gynecologic Oncology, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Hospitalist, Family Planning and Urogynecologic and Reconstructive Surgery. The department is currently ranked 4th in the nation in NIH funding among ObGyn departments.

The Senior Research Associate will independently design and execute experiments aimed at investigating how stress activates neural circuits that impair hypothalamic function using mice as an animal model. Specifically, the lab studies the identity of and function of neuroendocrine cell types that communicate molecular and cellular signaling processes to hypothalamic kisspeptin neurons that control reproductive neuroendocrine function. The senior research associate will develop neuromodulatory approaches to silence and activate neural populations of interest in rodent models exposed to stress or stress-like paradigms. Furthermore, the senior research associate will use a variety of techniques including tissue culture, adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) purification and transduction, stereotaxic injection of brain, immunohistochemistry, as well as assays for hormones, mRNA, proteins to understand the cellular and molecular phenotype of the investigated neural circuits activated in response to stress.

The Senior Research Associate will manage and coordinate research efforts with other collaborators both within and outside the laboratory. They will independently conceive, plan, and conduct research projects based on reviews of scientific literature and recent advances in related fields, organizing and executing all techniques involved. They will contribute novel ideas of major methodological significance to the research projects, design key experiments, and develop new techniques. They will author or co-author scientific journal manuscripts and book chapters. They will direct and advise the work of technicians, students, and postdoctoral scholars to enable them to successfully participate in laboratory projects, as well as present their findings at lab meetings and conferences, and perform other duties as needed.

• Advanced theoretical knowledge of neuroscience, endocrinology, cell and molecular biology as typically achieved by a college degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Strong demonstrated experience in neurosurgical techniques such as stereotaxic injections and cryosectioning of neural tissue.

• Strong demonstrated experience in cell analysis techniques (in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry) and cell imaging using confocal microscopy.

• Strong demonstrated experience in surgery on small animals like rodents.

• Proven experience in cell and molecular biology techniques to analyze mRNA/protein and conduct ELISA assays for hormone measurement.

• Proven experience in designing, coordinating, executing, and analyzing data.

• Advanced skill in experimental design and adaptation of methods to achieve results. Demonstrated experience in integrating data from multiple sources to synthesize conclusions. Knowledge and ability to read and abstract scientific articles and apply to the design of experiments.

• Demonstrated experience in the official review of manuscripts for publication in peer-review journals.

• Experience in providing technical work direction and training of students, post-docs, and technicians.

• Proven experience and knowledge in developing hypotheses, design experiments, conduct experiments, analyze data, write manuscripts, and publish results in peer-reviewed journals, including all interactions with Reviewers and Editors.

• Demonstrated experience in working with collaborators in other universities on joint projects, and working under milestones driven projects, including knowledge in writing reports.

• Strong organizational skills, including experience in laboratory record keeping, budget analysis and managing logistics. Demonstrated knowledge of lab safety rules.

• Proven experience in contributing and implementing innovative ideas and techniques on complex and multi-disciplinary research projects.

• Proven ability to read scientific papers and adapt knowledge and techniques from the literature to experimental systems.

• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills including tack, diplomacy, and flexibility in order to work and interact effectively with staff, researchers, and management in person, on the phone or via Zoom or other video conferencing platforms.

• Knowledge of PC software applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Keynote, Illustrator to produce reports, correspondence, graphs, and spreadsheets to generate, track, and analyze data.

• Experience in managing the hiring and day-to-day work-flow of volunteers, undergraduate students and research technicians.

• Experience in providing technical work direction and training of students, post-docs, and technicians.

• A Masters or PhD in a field related to biology, physiology or neuroscience.

• Experience with UCSD regulations, policies, and procedures.

• Experience with UCSD lab safety protocols.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.
• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.
• Must be willing to work with hazardous materials.

Job offer is contingent on successful engagement in the UC COVID-19 Vaccination program (fully vaccinated with documented proof or approved exception/deferral).

If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.

UC San Diego Health Sciences is comprised of our School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and our Student Health and Well-Being Department. We have long been at the forefront of translational - or "bench-to-bedside" - research, transforming patient care through discovery and innovation leading to new drugs and technologies. Translational research is carried out every day in the hundreds of clinical trials of promising new therapies offered through UC San Diego Health, and in the drive of our researchers and clinician-scientists who are committed to having a significant impact on patient care. We invite you to join our team!

Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.

To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community .

UC San Diego Health is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://www-hr.ucsd.edu/saa/nondiscr.html

UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.