Assistant Project Scientist – Elissa Hallem lab Full-time

Assistant Project Scientist – Elissa Hallem Lab

The Elissa Hallem lab in UCLA's Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics is seeking to fill a full-time Assistant Project Scientist position. The Assistant Project Scientist candidate will perform independent research on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying skin-penetration behaviors in parasitic nematodes using molecular biology, transgenesis and mutagenesis, microscopy, and quantitative behavioral analysis. The Assistant Project Scientist position is a 12-month non-Senate position.

Specific responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:

• Conduct research on the molecular and neural mechanisms that enable skin-penetrating nematodes to penetrate human skin, with a focus on the human-parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis.
• Supervise undergraduates, graduate students, technicians, and new postdoctoral trainees in the lab.
• Work on multiple projects efficiently and effectively.
• Work independently on scientific projects.
• Assist with preparation of grant proposals.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in scientific journals.
• Communicate with other scientists worldwide.
• The candidate will report directly to the Principal Investigator and will successfully carry out experiments and analyze the data generated with minimal supervision.
• Help and train various personnel in parasitic nematode biology, molecular biology, and genetics, and make significant contributions to the design and execution of other laboratory members' experiments.
• Complete all appropriate safety training as mandated by the campus's Environmental Health & Safety Office

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. (or equivalent) in a life science field.
• Candidate should have at least 4 years of research experience in parasitology, neurobiology, molecular biology, and genetics in an academic setting or equivalent.
• Candidate should have extensive experience in standard molecular biology techniques, parasitic nematode culturing and transgenesis, animal research, nematode genetics, and quantitative behavioral analysis.

Application Requirements:

• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• UCLA Mission Statement – As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.
• The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:
• Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles
• Expand our reach as a global university
• Enhance our research and creative activities
• Elevate how we teach
• Become a more effective institution
• Prompt for candidates for recruitment: Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service

References are not required at the time of application.