Behavior Research Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary and Benefits

PLEASE NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $26.51 per hour to $32.96 per her (Step 1 - Step 12). 

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b), dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance, vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and tuition fee waiver.
For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits package.

Classification

Research Technician II

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is one of 23 universities of the California State University system (CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic innovation, student success, engaged and service learning, diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

Please Note: Review of applications will begin on April 6, 2026.

This position is grant-funded, part-time, hourly up to 30 hours week and temporary through December 31, 2026, with the possibility of reappointment. 

The research technician will perform experimental procedures in a research laboratory in close coordination with the Principal Investigator. This position is funded by an NIH grant and suitable for candidates with interest or experience in Drosophila behavioral genetics, with a focus on sleep, feeding, and wakefulness. On-the-job training for individuals with a basic scientific background and laboratory skills will be provided. The candidate will conduct research in a collaborative environment with an appreciation for lab safety and an environment that values equity, inclusion and diversity.

Responsibilities

• Assists with research studies, design of experiments, literature review and conducting assays, including data collection, solutions preparation, and equipment set-up and maintenance. Assists Principal Investigator with identifying the right consumables and equipment for ordering.
• Complies with established safety procedures and maintains required documentation on laboratory and specimen conditions.
• Conducts behavioral assays for experiments in close coordination with the supervisor. These include sleep assays using Drosophila Activity monitoring and video recording systems, feeding studies using published approaches and ability to modify protocols as needed for the research study. Animal behavior research (including set up of behavioral set-ups (light, camera set ups), and knowledge of acrylic molding for designing 3D printed parts). 
• Performs data entry, and maintains data files on research, newly developed protocols and assists with manuscript preparation.
• Maintains Drosophila lines (live fly cultures), prepares fly food of varying compositions and performs genetic crosses. Prepare reagents, chemically defined Drosophila media and rear multiple transgenic fly lines. Drosophila genetics (Ability to sort flies based on genotypes and breed flies for experiments). Fly brain dissections and staining. Data analysis using excel, Graphpad Prism and R.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience 

• Two years of Progressively responsible experience in technical research or statistical work in the collection, compilation, and analysis of data.
• Graduate study in social sciences, economics, mathematics, statistic, public or business administration or engineering may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis. 
• Excellent verbal, written communication, and analytical skills.
• Ability to collaborate with PI and other undergraduate students in the lab to progress towards the grant's goal. 

Education

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university. 
• Candidates who have completed MS with thesis will be given preference. 

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

Experience and interest in at least 3 of the following areas: 

1. Immunohistochemistry (staining brain tissue samples for microscopy)
2. Use of stereo microscopes, fluorescence and confocal microscope)
3. Animal behavior research (including set up of behavioral set-ups, knowledge of acrylic molding for designing 3D printed parts)
4. Drosophila genetics (Ability to sort flies based on genotypes and breed flies for experiments)
5. Fly brain dissections (Ability to dissect and prepare fly brain samples for imaging)
6. Ability to prepare reagents, chemically defined Drosophila media (biweekly) and rear multiple transgenic fly lines
7. Data analysis using excel, Graphpad Prism and R
8. Interest and experience working with insect neuroanatomy quantitative animal and human behavior

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan, as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certificates, credit history, professional references and/or verification of work history is required for employment.  Cal State East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered the position.
All background checks are conducted through the university's third party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the University Police Department.

EEO Statement

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal State, East Bay provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. The CSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's  Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU's Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free.  For more information, please visit our website here.
In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here. 

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Learn more about working at the California State University and the impact of our mission.