**Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:** Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of diverse individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your diversity of culture, thinking, learning, and leading is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research. **Organization:** Dermatology **Job Summary:** JOB SUMMARY An established laboratory seeks a Research Assistant I who will contribute to experiments involving mouse models of inflammatory diseases. With lab-specific training and under direct supervision, this individual will participate in the completion of experiments using mice and cells. Critical components of this position include performing mouse breeding, weaning and genotyping, measuring mouse mobility behavior measures, sectioning of mouse tissues, staining tissues, performing microscopy, and collecting and analyzing data. Willingness to work with mice is required. The ability to organize and plan is required, as is attention to detail and careful documentation. This position involves working with an animal colony management software application, therefore competence and experience with computer software is required. Department/Unit Summary: Welcome to the Department of Dermatology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We are proud of the cutting-edge research carried out by our faculty and trainees. The work ranges from basic science investigations in inflammation and autoimmunity, immunobiology, cutaneous imaging sciences, artificial intelligence, epidemiology, and cancer biology to clinical and translational research defining the current and future practice of dermatology. The department has a highly sought-after residency program and a fellowship in Moh’s surgery. . **KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:** This position is 70% mouse colony management and 30% laboratory research. Responsibilities include handling mice and maintaining the mouse colony of genetically modified animals, including breeding, weaning, and collecting tissues for genotyping and assisting with mouse experiments. Careful documentation using “MyColony” software is required. Prior experience using this software, although not required, would be of benefit. Laboratory techniques that will be performed include: collection of blood, dissection of the skin, skin draining lymph nodes, joints, and other organs of interest from mice post mortem, preparation of RNA and DNA from tissues, perform genotyping PCR analysis from DNA isolated from rodent tissues, quantitate and perform quality control of RNA and DNA isolated from rodent tissue, and interact with the behavior core and the imaging core to measure locomotive activity in mice and assess changes in their joints. Other techniques to be performed include cryosectioning and microtomy of mouse tissues and staining tissues with histological stains and using immunohistochemistry. Other duties may involve assisting with general lab cleaning duties including autoclaving, filling water containers and cleaning dishes. The individual hired for this position must be able to communicate effectively through written word and verbal communication, maintain detailed and accurate records of daily activities and experimental results, and have the capacity to organize and plan tasks and experiments weeks in advance. + Under supervision, run experiments, assays, and record results. + Read and follow experimental protocols (will include animal handling, tissue culture, etc.) + Compile and communicate results to supervisor + Follow University safety protocols (may include use of combustibles, radioactivity, toxic material, and/or carcinogenics) + Perform calculations involving molarity, % solutions, and serial dilutions + Prepare and operate equipment in experimental procedures + May include blood gas analyzer, centrifuge, pH meter, spectrophotometer, autoclave, scintillation counter, electrophoresis unit, analytical balance, etc. + Ensure Laboratory is prepared for experiments + Maintain inventories + Maintain sterile conditions as required + Prepare reagents + Clean equipment. Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent experience) and < 1 year experience **Our Academic Enterprise** is one of the nation’s longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year. World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease. Aligning with Vanderbilt Health’s Strategic Directions , the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff. **Core Accountabilities:** Organizational Impact: Delivers job responsibilities that impact own job area/team with some guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Uses existing procedures, research and analysis to solve standard job related problems that may require some judgement. Breadth of Knowledge: Requires subject matter knowledge within a professional area to meet job requirements. Team Interaction: Individually contributes to project/ work teams. **Core Capabilities** **:** Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Continuously improves own skills by identifying development opportunities.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Seeks to understand colleagues priorities, working styles and develops relationships across areas. - Communicates Effectively: Openly shares information with others and communicates in a clear and courteous manner. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Invests time to understand the problems, needs of others and how to provide excellent service. - Solves Complex Problems: Seeks to understand issues, solves routine problems, and raises proper concerns to supervisors in a timely manner. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Listens carefully to understand the issues and provides accurate information and support. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Checks work quality before delivery and asks relevant questions to meet quality standards.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Shows eagerness to learn new knowledge, technologies, tools or systems and displays willingness to go above and beyond. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Demonstrates basic knowledge of conditions that affect safety and reports unsafe conditions to the appropriate person or department. Managing Resources Effectively :- Demonstrates Accountability: Takes responsibility for completing assigned activities and thinks beyond standard approaches to provide high-quality work/service. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Displays understanding of how personal actions will impact departmental resources. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Uses accurate information and good decision making to consistently achieve results on time and without error. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Willingly proposes/accepts ideas or initiatives that will impact day-to-day operations by offering suggestions to enhance them.- Applies Technology: Absorbs new technology quickly; understands when to utilize the appropriate tools and procedures to ensure proper course of action. - Adapts to Change: Embraces changes by keeping an open mind to changing plans and incorporates change instructions into own area of work. **Position Qualifications:** **Responsibilities:** **Certifications :** **Work Experience :** Relevant Work Experience **Experience Level :** Less than 1 year **Education :** Bachelor's Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and to the principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. EOE/AA/Women/Minority/Vets/Disabled