Senior Lab Technician

Job description

Applications are invited for a Lab Technician positions funded by the Wellcome Trust to work in the laboratory of Dr Adil Khan, in the Centre of Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London. 

The successful candidate will undertake original and state of the art biomedical research as an integral member of a group working on neural circuits underlying flexible behaviour in mice. The successful candidate will also provide logistical, technical and organisational support to other group members in the laboratory. The successful candidate will either focus on brain tissue handling, colony management, immunostaining and lab organisation, or on mouse behavioural training and surgical assistance.

Applicants should have an MSc in Biological Sciences (or similar) and have a background working in neuroscience, preferably including mouse stereotaxic surgeries, perfusions, immunostaining and mouse behaviour. Candidates should have worked with rodents and have experience of transgenic husbandry. Candidates should be motivated, a team-player and be able to work on their own initiative.   

The selection process will be a panel interview.   

For an informal discussion to find out more about the role please contact Dr Adil Khan khan.adil@kcl.ac.uk.   

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 2 years.

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent.

Key responsibilities

• Undertake original and state of the art biomedical research as an integral member of a group working on neural circuits underlying flexible, cognitive behaviour in mice.
• Breeding and maintenance of several transgenic / mutant mouse lines.
• Carry out stereotactic surgical procedures on mice including cranial window implants or viral injections in targeted brain areas.
• Carry out perfusions and obtain tissue sections of mouse brain for staining and imaging.
• Carry out immunohistochemistry and histological stains to localise different markers in tissue sections, confocal and brightfield imaging of preparations.
• Carry out behavioural training of mice on existing paradigms studied in the lab, involving careful handling and head-fixation of mice.
• Maintain up-to-date, accurate and comprehensive laboratory notes.
• Assist, supervise and train other members of the group, including students and other research staff in their application in related lab projects.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria  

1. MSc in Biological Sciences or equivalent experience
2. Relevant and broad work experience in biological research laboratories
3. Background in neuroscience, with a strong emphasis on rodent work
4. Relevant Experience of microscopy, including confocal microscopy
5. Relevant Experience of histological and molecular biology techniques  

Desirable criteria

1. Experience with mouse behaviour and stereotaxic surgeries
2. Experience with mouse colony management 

This post is subject to an Occupational Health clearance.

Closing date: 9^th June 2024

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