Summary: The CGC maintains >23,000 nematode strains and distributes them upon request to scientists throughout the world. In a given year, ~30,000 strains are shipped to over 1,500 laboratories worldwide. Scientists in these laboratories rely on our accuracy and efficiency. The successful candidate will prepare and maintain C. elegans stocks, fulfill orders and contribute to the running of the operation.

Essential and Other Functions:
50% - Fulfill strain requests (essential)
Prepare C. elegans Strains to Fill Requests from the International Research Community: Process C. elegans strain requests (thaw, grow and prepare plates for shipment) in a timely fashion with extreme care and attention to detail. Ensure that correct strains are processed. Ensure genotypes match phenotypes and traits are segregating appropriately.

25% - Confirm strain phenotypes (essential)
Confirm phenotypes of nematode strains, including morphological phenotypes and tissue-specific patterns of fluorescent reporter gene expression. Confirm traits are segregating properly and if problems are identified, return to a prior frozen stock to re-establish strain.

15% - Maintain the Stock Center for Optimum Efficiency (essential)
Develop best practices for maintaining optimal efficiency among CGC employees, coordinating daily activities to ensure timely processing shipment of strains. Maintain working strains and remove contaminants from strains. Maintain strains at proper temperatures for long and short term storage, check daily. Monthly purge old strains. Monitor supplies of plates, supplies, and solutions and communicate with undergraduate for creating more. Address issues that may arise with undergraduate employees concerning quality of media and reagents.

10% - Fill-in as needed to complete CGC daily tasks (secondary)
Fill-in as needed to complete tasks primarily associated with all CGC positions. Perform essential tasks associated with the CGC operation, from maintaining and handling strains, to office tasks (preparing/mailing orders, data entry, etc), to laboratory maintenance tasks, to interfacing with scientists around the world that might have questions about strains.

BENEFITS:

The University of Minnesota offers a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, vacation and sick leave
• Low cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Health care and dependent daycare flexible spending accounts
• Excellent retirement plans with employer match
• Disability and employer paid life insurance
• Wellbeing program with reduced insurance premiums
• Tuition reimbursement opportunities covering 75%-100% of eligible tuition
• Student loan forgiveness opportunity
• Opportunities for growth and promotion
• Employee Assistance Program

Researcher 1: Civil Service Employment Group:

https://humanresources.umn.edu/sites/humanresources.umn.edu/files/2021_tcd-cslr-75100-ben-0105-7_final.pdf

All required qualifications must be documented on application materials.

Required Qualifications:
BA/BS in biological sciences and two years of experience or a combination of education and significant working knowledge of C. elegans as a model system to equal six (6) years. Can recognize many phenotypes, understands genetic segregation, can manipulate nematodes with ease using stereomicroscopes. Understands extrachromosomal arrays. Can recognize problems with strains. Works independently with minimal guidance or part of a team as tasks demand. Able to act as a resource for undergraduates and team members with less experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
Ideal candidate will be conscientious, neat and detail-oriented, and have excellent time management and organizational skills. Experience with stereo and epifluorescence microscopes. Strong verbal communication skills. Ability to work under deadline pressure and to take initiative. Working knowledge of genetic balancer chromosomes.