RESEARCH SCIENTIST/ENGINEER 1

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world. UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a "Great College to Work For" for four consecutive years. The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences within the UW School of Medicine is the third largest clinical department within the School of Medicine with 330 full-time faculty members, 460 courtesy faculty members, and over 350 staff. Department faculty provide clinical services in 5 hospitals, 14 primary care locations, and several outpatient sites in addition to telepsychiatry consultations to more than 150 clinics in Washington and beyond. As the only academic psychiatry department serving the five state WWAMI region (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho), the Department's highly competitive residency training program is largely responsible for developing the mental health workforce in the Pacific Northwest. The Department's robust research portfolio totals $67 million in grants and contracts per year for projects ranging from clinical neurosciences to treatment development to health policy and population health. The Department is recognized as an international leader in developing, testing, and implementing Collaborative Care, an integrated care model increasingly seen as a solution for population-based mental health care. Other areas of excellence include Addictions, Autism, High Risk Youth, Neurosciences, and Trauma, and the Department is developing innovative new programs in Technology and Mental Health, Global Mental Health, Maternal and Child Mental Health, and Targeted Intervention Development. Psychiatry is the third largest department in the School of Medicine and the largest non-divisioned department. The overall annual operations funding from all sources is over $130 million. The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences within the UW School of Medicine currently has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist/Engineer 1. The field of research for this position includes Substance Use Disorder, Opioid Use Disorder, and Behavioral Pharmacology. The experiments involve tasks such as rodent handling, rodent colony management, laboratory management, and in vivo data generation using established procedures, including thermal nociception, oximetry, scoring, sample collection (e.g., blood draws), and substance administration via intramuscular (IM), intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (IV), and subcutaneous (SC) routes, as well as euthanasia with tissue collection. The Pravetoni lab focuses on the pre-clinical development of novel therapies for drug addiction. The lab seeks to uncover the mechanisms underlying efficacy of treatment in models of prescription opioid abuse and nociception. This is achieved through the implementation of a variety of strategies used to generate more effective vaccines or antibody-based therapies against drugs of abuse, in addition to other unmet medical needs such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The Pravetoni Group is in need of a Research Scientist to act in the capacity of Animal Technician to spearhead the day-to-day logistics of the behavioral pharmacology required to support the development of medications for substance use disorder. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Problem Solving/Innovation (55%) Works under limited Primary Investigator supervision demonstrating the ability to work independently (alone or in team). Solves well-defined problems using accepted behavioral pharmacology methods and techniques (such as thermal nociception, oximetry, scoring, etc.; further list is below). Performs assignments designed to develop professional work knowledge providing foundation for innovative thinking and techniques. Assignment types include rodent handling, rodent colony management, laboratory management, in vivo data generation using established procedures such as thermal nociception, oximetry, scoring, sample collection such as blood draws, and substance administration via intramuscular (IM), intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) routes, euthanasia with tissue collection, additionally assisting with institutional compliance. Leadership/Technical Influence/Networking (25%) Guides the work of Junior staff to ensure that procedures are followed, ensuring that undergraduates/new graduate students are following EHS/OAW/IACUC and internal procedures properly during animal experiments. Interacts in a collaborative manner with other team members to accomplish organizational goals, including rodent colony management and laboratory management such as animal number tracking for compliance. Supply organization and supply levels, placing orders within appropriate systems when supplies are low, assisting in keeping laboratory spaces clean in accordance with UW EHS, IACUC and AAALAC regulations. Provides ideas to improve efficiency at group level. Contributes data for reports and publications but will not be required for conferences. Project Planning/Management (20%) Successful performance of project and experiment related tasks for papers, grants and government required documents such as INDs and other requested documentation from government agencies (FDA, DEA, etc.). Provides support to on-going funding in performing experiments and laboratory related administrative tasks but no defined role in identifying securing research funding, tasks required are typically of larger scope and often will often be required to lead specific tasks within projects or experiments. Staff member will assist in scheduling and execution of animal experiments in timely manner to meet project/scope AIMs within timelines outlined by government and/or grant agencies (i.e. assistance in management of animal experiment calendar). MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Bachelor's degree in Biology, Pharmacology, Animal Science or related field, with a minimum of one year of experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Effectively knows and uses fundamental pre-clinical animal model concepts, practices and procedures and is prepared to continue to develop expertise and knowledge as is required by position and funding agencies. Experience managing colonies of mice and rats. Experience with common Behavioral Pharmacology techniques of mice and rats such as thermal nociception, oximetry, scoring. Experience with sample collection such as blood draws, and substance administration via intramuscular (IM), intraperitoneal (IP), intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) routes. Experience with euthanasia with tissue collection. Thorough knowledge of institutional (UW and US) standards regarding the care and treatment of animals and safe laboratory practices. Ability to work alone or within a team. Ability to collect multiple types of data, collate and distribute to necessary parties. Ability to keep a clean and organized environment, to the standards required by UW EHS, IACUC and AAALAC. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS Surgical implantation of catheters, anesthesia administration. Experience with additional animal models such as pigs or macaques. Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select "Apply to this position". Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your "My Jobs" page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are access ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.