Staff Research Associate III / Flow Cytometrist

Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC), University of California, San Francisco, USA

Job Summary

The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC), or Cancer Center, combines basic science, clinical research, epidemiology/cancer control and patient care from throughout the University of California, San Francisco system.

This Staff Research Associate III / Flow Cytometrist position is to fill the operational & organizational needs of the Lab for Cell Analysis (LCA). The LCA is a Flow cytometry & microscopy Core Facility at UCSF based out for the Helen Diller Cancer Center. We provide cytometric & microscopy services for the UCSF community, and also surrounding UC affiliates, National Labs & external for-profit biotech companies. The LCA provides expertise in operating various cell sorters, analyzers & microscopes, in addition to training & education on our systems, advice for staining protocols, applications & data analysis. The successful applicant will be responsible for managing our instruments, keeping them in good working order & training users in their operation, along with billing, calendar management, supply ordering, record keeping & service coordination. We handle many of the administrative aspects of running the core and also user outreach. UCSF core facilities are highly specialized non-profit entities which provide access to complex equipment and/or services to our local research community.

The Flow Cytometrist position will perform general maintenance, timely instrument start-up/shutdown, QC/QA following documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), generate new SOPs if necessary, scheduling & calendar management, operation of cytometers & sorters on behalf of users, trouble shooting, keeping track of & ordering of basic supplies, helping to coordinate service visits by technicians. Training new users in the proper use, techniques & rules for using LCA instrumentation will be a large component of the job. Excellent customer service is extremely important & an ability to work with & communicate well with people is essential. Attendance & time keeping at work is key to providing a reliable experience for our users.

Department Description

The UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center (HDFCCC), or Cancer Center, holds the prestigious designation of “comprehensive” from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). We combine basic science, clinical research, epidemiology, cancer control and patient care throughout UCSF. 

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in physical or biological science or a related science and two or more years of recent, directly related work experience following degree completion, utilizing the techniques or methods required by the position and demonstrating technical expertise in these areas; or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum 2 years of research activities or equivalent combination of experience and education in flow cytometry
• Excellent time management & organizational skills
• Excellent customer service & interpersonal skills
• Excellent written & verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with training & teaching others
• Knowledge of safety procedures in a laboratory environment