Research Technician I

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world’s deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

At Fred Hutch, we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. These values are grounded in and expressed through the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities makes us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems. Fred Hutch is in pursuit of becoming an anti-racist organization. We are committed to ensuring that all candidates hired share our commitment to diversity, anti-racism and inclusion.

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) Laboratory Center is part of an international collaboration of scientists and educators searching for effective and safe vaccines. The HVTN’s mission is to facilitate the process of testing preventive vaccines against HIV/AIDS and related infectious diseases. The organization conducts all phases of clinical trials from evaluating experimental vaccines for safety and the ability to stimulate immune responses through testing vaccine efficacy. The Laboratory Center is responsible for carrying out the scientific agenda of the HVTN by conducting laboratory-based studies to evaluate the immunogenicity of investigational vaccines.

The Research Technician I will perform experiments to identify and characterize immune responses at sites of HIV entry in participants of clinical trials. The candidate will be responsible for processing blood or other body fluids and tissues from volunteers, performing the immunological assays, molecular biology assays and analyzing the data.  The candidate will assist in the development and maintenance of laboratory quality control (QC) methods and records, interpret and report on experimental results and may assist with data presentation for conferences and manuscripts.

Responsibilities

• Conduct immunohistochemistry experiments, including immunohistochemistry staining, laser dissection microscopy, imaging and analysis of the slides.
• Perform in vitro cell manipulations, sterile culture and HIV infections of mucosal samples.
• Prepare tissue lysates and secretion eluates for protein quantitation experiments.
• Perform ELISA and MSD assays for evaluating antibodies, chemokines and cytokines in human secretions and tissue lysates.
• Maintain chain of custody for samples used in the laboratory.
• Develop and trouble-shoot new assays as needed.
• Analyze and present data.
• Maintain a high level of accuracy for all work.
• Maintain records for experiments and quality control for the laboratory.
• Receive, prepare and maintain reagents, stocks, and cultures necessary to perform the work.
• Operate and carry out basic maintenance and QC of laboratory equipment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A BA/BS with related laboratory experience in immunology, microbiology, molecular biology or similar field, or equivalent experience  
• Independent research experience in addition to school lab experience is usually necessary  

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with protein quantitation assays, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, cellular assays, tissue culture, micropipetting, microscopy, or PCR are preferred  
• Experience in a GLP setting or clinical experience with strong documentation skills is also desirable 
• Experience with ELISA and Immunohistochemistry
• Willingness and ability to work with blood, human tissues, and human secretions 
• Willingness to work with biohazardous/infectious agents (e.g., bloodborne pathogens, COVID-19, and HIV-1) and to work some evenings and weekends
• Motivation, adaptability and ability to be a strong team player are essential, as is a keen interest in the HIV vaccine field. 
• Be punctual and accurate
• Excellent oral and written communication skills 

The hourly pay range for this position is from $22.21 to $31.61 and pay offered will be based on experience and qualifications.