Biotechnician - Department of Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for a Biotechnician.

About the Opportunity

This position will assist Dr. Ezequiel Salido, an assistant professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. The laboratory is also part of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at the Health Science Center, WVU.

The research focuses on understanding the neuronal extracellular matrix (ECM), specifically examining how ECM components surrounding photoreceptors in the retina contribute to vision and are implicated in various ocular diseases. Our studies leverage a broad range of experimental approaches, including:

CRISPR-Cas9 animal models featuring mutations in ECM genes linked to human disorders

Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, PCR, Electroretinography (ERG)

In vivo retinal imaging, electron microscopy, super-resolution microscopy

AAV-based gene therapy and multi-omics analyses

Biochemical techniques to study protein interactions and post-translational modifications

For more details about Salido Lab research, please visit our lab webpage ( ).

The newly hired person will join a team of vision researchers working to uncover the causes of blindness and use that information to develop innovative treatments for vision loss in humans. You will actively participate in the ongoing lab research, providing you with a unique opportunity for growth and learning in the field of vision research.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

ANIMAL COLONY MANAGEMENT & GENOTYPING

• Maintain mouse colonies, including weaning, tagging, sex separation, breeding coordination, cage tracking, and animal record updates.
• Perform genotyping workflows, including tissue sample preparation, PCR, gel electrophoresis, sequencing preparation, and analysis of results.

SPECIALIZED HISTOLOGICAL & MOLECULAR ASSAYS

• Provide support for the experiment to lab members.
• Dissection of ocular tissues for experimentation.
• Western Blot protein analysis.
• Immunohistochemistry on cryosectioned retina and confocal microscopy.
• Performing electroretinography analysis on anesthetized mice.

GENERAL DUTIES

• Maintain lab organization, including ordering and stocking chemicals and maintaining inventories.
• Set up, calibrate, and maintain laboratory equipment.
• Troubleshoot equipment issues.
• Prepare reagents and assist in experiments as needed.

May assist with specialized experiments, including:

• Intraocular injections for gene therapy studies
• Electron microscopy / Immunoelectromicroscopy
• Super-resolution microscopy (STORM)
• Bacteria and human cell culture and protein expression.
• Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in mice

Pay Grade: 15

• Bachelor in life sciences or equivalent.
• A minimum of six (6) months experience in a research lab. Relevant experience in biological research laboratory settings.
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Effective and clear communication of research findings with the team is crucial.
• Engage in collaborative and independent work within the research team.
• Strong capabilities in verbal and written communication, alongside excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Self-motivation is essential for success in this role.
• Solid background in general molecular biology techniques, essential for daily laboratory tasks.
• Ability to operate general laboratory equipment (i.e., pH meter, scales, pipets, centrifuges, etc.) and the willingness and ability to learn new techniques, procedures, or protocols.
• Commitment to continuous learning and skill enhancement, actively seeking training and development opportunities.
• Efficient at gathering and analyzing information to identify and resolve problems.
• Responsive to management direction, adheres to work schedules, and manages leave responsibly, ensuring consistent productivity and team coherence.