Location

SAINT LOUIS, MO 63110

Scheduled Hours

40

Position Summary

The Siteman Cancer Center is seeking an organized and motivated individual to join the Biorepository and Biospecimen Resource (BBR). This position is responsible for a broad range of laboratory tasks needed to support cancer and other biomedical research studies. Duties include human tissue and fluid biospecimen processing, basic laboratory equipment use and maintenance, and support of general quality control functions needed for laboratory operations.

A successful candidate will have strong clerical accuracy, exceptional organization and time-management skills, a solid understanding of basic computer applications, experience working in a laboratory environment and should be motivated to join a fast-paced laboratory environment.

Job Description

• Blood and bone marrow processing to isolate serum, plasma, and white blood cells. Processing miscellaneous bodily fluids to isolate liquid and cellular fractions.
• Isolation of single cells, nuclei and nucleic acids from tissue, cells and bodily fluids.
• Prepare OCT and FFPE tissue blocks and section embedded specimens to support molecular, histological and immunological assays.
• Perform data entry into biospecimen inventory management system to track specimen processing, creation, storage, retrieval, and distribution for cancer and other medical research projects.
• Monitor use and maintenance of equipment and maintain thorough records of execution.
• Monitor laboratory supplies to ensure adequate supply for laboratory activities.
• Participate in the On-Call program (non-business hours) for monitoring equipment and environmental systems required for storage of biospecimens.
• Provide cross-functional support in other areas of the laboratory (biospecimen kit assembly/distribution and specimen inventory management).
• Perform Quality Control functions for biorepository activities defined in the BBR Quality Management System. Activities include review, revision, and compliance with all Standard Operating Procedures and other controlled documents, incident reporting and investigation, implementation of Corrective and Preventative Action (CAPA), maintenance of training records, and compliance with all laboratory safety procedures.
  

Working Conditions:
Job Location/Working Conditions

• Full time (40 hour per week), Monday through Friday and occasionally Saturday and Sunday for the On-call program.
• Work in laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological, chemical and extreme temperature (liquid nitrogen, dry ice) hazards.
• Must be able to wear personal protective equipment (lab coat, gloves, eye protection).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Associate degree

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

No specific certification/professional license is required for this position.

Work Experience:

No specific work experience is required for this position.

Skills:

Medical Laboratory Technology

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in physical life science.
• Clinical laboratory experience.
• ASCP registry or equivalent.
• Experience working with and maintaining standard laboratory equipment.
• Experience with standard processing techniques and good eye hand coordination.
• Strong computer skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to maintain complete and organized records.
• Excellent time management skills, ability to multitask, trouble-shoot and perform tasks independently.
• Position requires ongoing interaction with faculty, trainees, and staff in the Siteman Cancer Center and Washington University School of Medicine. Candidate must possess an aptitude for patience, professionalism, tactfulness and empathy for needs of scientific investigators and be able to communicate and represent the Tissue Procurement Core and Siteman Cancer Center in a professional matter.
• Experience processing human tissue to single cell suspensions, frozen specimens, formalin-fixed specimens and embedding in OCT. Proficiency in these techniques and downstream systems employing these biospecimens is a plus (i.e., cell culture, tissue processor, paraffin/frozen sectioning).
• Experience isolating nucleic acids (DNA/RNA) from human biofluids and tissues.
• Experience using clinical centrifuges, automated cell counters (i.e. Cellometer) and general lab equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree - Life Sciences

Certifications/Professional Licenses:

Inactive DNU - American Society Clinical Pathologist - American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Assay, Clinical Laboratory Operations, Detail-Oriented, Equipment Maintenance, Growth Development, Medical Laboratories, Microsoft Excel, Prioritization, Regulatory Requirements, Task Organization, Team Collaboration, Troubleshooting

Grade

C07-H

Salary Range

$19.93 - $29.93 / Hourly

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ.

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected] or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

All qualified individuals must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship.

Pre-Employment Screening

All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.

• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.

• Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees.

• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.

• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO Statement

Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, citizenship (where prohibited by federal law), age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.