Job Description

Research Officer

Primary Purpose: The Next-Generation Sequencing Facility (NGSF) is a high-throughput sequencing facility jointly supported by the University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine and the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. It was formed in 2019 and provides access to high-throughput sequencing technology and expertise. Services include nucleic acid isolation and QC, library preparation and sequencing, and data analysis.

The primary purpose of this position is to oversee the operation of the NGSF and provide technical and scientific support to the users of this facility. The position involves developing experimental protocols, instructing and training users in advanced procedures, assisting users with data interpretation, and maintaining instruments in research-ready operating mode. The research officer will maintain close contact with the users of the NGSF, be responsive to their needs and engage in research collaborations with the faculty utilizing NGSF instrumentation for their research.

The secondary function is to provide technical expertise in regard to operating the sequencing instruments and keeping the equipment in good working order. The successful candidate will need extensive experience in maintaining and operating a variety of instruments dedicated to nucleic acid purification, molecular biology, quantification and quality assessment of DNA products, library preparations specific to each different application and NGS sequencing of those libraries.

Nature of Work: Reporting to the Research Officer, the Research Assistant will support all researchers that use the NGSF.

Typical Duties or Accountabilities: Responsibilities of the research officer include, but are not limited to:

• Design sequencing projects for clients
• Prepare project contracts (SOWs)
• Manage flow of projects through the facility
• Report quality metrics and results to clients
• Negotiate reagent and consumables discounts with vendors
• Manage facility budget and financial plan
• Prepare invoices for project charges
• Process invoice payments
• Oversee facility staff
• Collaborate with faculty on research projects
• Contribute to publications as appropriate
• Maintain professional relationships with members of the local research community
• Provide wet and dry lab support
• Advertise facility services and capabilities to potential clients
• Order reagents and consumables
• Establish and manage wet and dry lab processes in collaboration with NGSF staff
• Monitor instrument function and coordinate repairs and service visits as necessary
• Manage data lifecycle, storage, and security
• Maintain the NGSF webpage
• Generate annual report

Education: A minimum of a bachelor of science degree in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, or a related field is required. An advanced degree in molecular biology, bioinformatics or a related field is preferred.

Experience: Previous laboratory experience with molecular biology techniques, is required and expertise with \xe2\x80\x9cnext-generation\xe2\x80\x9d sequencing or bioinformatics is preferred.

Skills: Previous laboratory experience with molecular biology techniques is required and expertise with NGS is preferred. The candidate must be able to work independently and as part of a team, and will also have a demonstrated track record of strong technical, analytical, organizational and communication skills. The candidate must be willing and enthusiastic about staying up-to-date with the technologies associated with genomics training through training sessions, workshops etc. Previous supervisory experience in a laboratory setting and analytical experience with bioinformatics or other large datasets is highly desired. Experience using and maintaining the following equipment/methods would be considered a strong asset.

• Illumina sequencers (especially NextSeq 550 and iSeq 100)
• 10x genomics Chromium ix
• Bioinformatics techniques (e.g. differential gene expression)
• Bioanalyzer or TapeStation
• Qubit fluorometer
• KingFisher DuoPrime
• DNA and RNA isolation from bacteria, tissue culture cells, tissue, blood, saliva, paraffin-embedded tissue sections
• Quantitative real-time PCR
• Thermal Cyclers (PCR)
• Agarose gel electrophoresis
• Hybex incubator

Interested candidates must submit a resume and cover letter.

Department: Cancer Research Unit
Status: Term with the possibility of extension
Employment Group: Research Positions - Non-union
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
Salary: The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Posted Date: 8/17/2023
Closing Date: 9/27/2023
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: On Campus

The successful applicant will be required to provide the following current verification(s) where \'Yes\' is indicated below. Further information is available at:

Criminal Record Check: Not Applicable
Driver\'s License and Abstract Check: Not Applicable
Education/Credential Verification: Not Applicable
Vulnerable Sector Check: Not Applicable The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan\'s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the M\xc3\xa9tis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and M\xc3\xa9tis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.

University of Saskatchewan