Curatorial Research Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.
Organization:
Pediatric Infectious Disease
Job Summary:
As a Research Assistant 3, you will play a key role in advancing the research efforts of the Vanderbilt Infection Surveillance & Prevention Research (VISPR) Program. This program is dedicated to investigating the causes, epidemiology, risk factors, prevention, and treatment of viral acute respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. These efforts focus on children and other special populations, including immunocompromised individuals. Our mission is to better understand the burden of acute respiratory and diarrheal illnesses in young children and develop strategies to mitigate these diseases in both pediatric and adult populations through innovative approaches to vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics.
As a team member, you will manage, process, document, and potentially test human specimens for infection and immune responses to infection or vaccination. You'll follow regimented protocols to ensure accurate data recording and reporting of both standard and variant results. Working under minimal supervision, you will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful research while interacting with faculty, staff, trainees, and VISPR's clinical, data, and administrative teams. Additionally, you may assist with other laboratory and research activities, helping to drive our mission forward.
REQUIREMENTS:
• A Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field.
• A minimum of 4 years of hands-on laboratory experience, showcasing your proficiency in laboratory techniques and protocols.
• The ability to collaborate seamlessly within a team environment while demonstrating strong leadership capabilities to guide and support others effectively.
• Exceptional data management skills, with the ability to organize, analyze, and interpret information accurately and efficiently.
• Meticulous attention to detail, ensuring precision and consistency in all aspects of your work.
You will work Monday-Friday, traditional daytime business hours at Vanderbilt Medical Center North located on 21st Ave. in Nashville, TN.
DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
The Vanderbilt Infection Surveillance & Prevention Research Program was formed in 2024 to conduct clinical and translational research determining the burden of diarrheal and respiratory illnesses in young children and specialized populations and to find ways to reduce their burden (e.g., through vaccines, drugs, etc.). Since 2002, Dr. Halasa has been involved in vaccine trials enrolling children of all ages, including young infants and specialized populations such as children with cancer. For more information, please visit https://www.vumc.org/halasa-lab/welcome-vispr.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Specimen management

• Specimen receipt, sorting, inspection, and verification.
• Reconciliation of specimen collection and receipt with information populated in the laboratory and Program clinical databases (and extramural databases where applicable).
• Specimen shipment, including retrieval and organization of specimens, generation of manifests, packaging, and coordination with destination labs.
• Curation of the specimen biorepository, including continuous management and concerted staging of freezer contents for planned specimen use.
  
  • Specimen organization and sorting.
  • Cryobank mapping and verification.

Processing and testing of specimens from numerous and diverse studies

• Specimen types: respiratory, blood, stool, oral, and occasionally other sources.
• Monitor and maintain supply inventory.
• Ensure properly functioning equipment.
• Stringently follow and maintain lab compliance with institutional, local, and federal biological and chemical safety protocols, policies, and regulations.
• Test methodologies might include nucleic-acid amplification assays, specific antibody detection, and rapid diagnostic devices; however, testing responsibilities will be secondary to specimen processing and management.

Lab data, records, and written procedures .

• Record data, perform data analysis, and create graphs/reports.
• Create and review standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Maintain current, accurate, and fully annotated information in specimen biorepository electronic inventory systems.
• Maintain electronic supply inventories.

Communication, instruction, and collaboration

• Effectively communicate study results, progress, status, challenges, and action plans to supervisor, laboratory group during regular meetings, and VISPR Program collaborators.
• Onboarding and training of new members in lab-processing techniques and related functions.
• Work synergistically with other VISPR team members (laboratory, clinical, data, and administration) in a proactive, solution-oriented manner to accomplish goals and resolve problems.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
Our Academic Enterprise is one of the nation's longest serving and most prestigious academic medical centers. Through its historic bond with Vanderbilt University and integral role in the School of Medicine, Vanderbilt Health cultivates distinguished research and educational programs to advance a clinical enterprise that provides compassionate and personalized care and support for millions of patients and family members each year.
World-leading academic departments and comprehensive centers of excellence pursue scientific discoveries and transformational educational and clinical advances across the entire spectrum of health and disease.
Aligning with Vanderbilt Health's Strategic Directions, the Office of Research provides shared research resources, administrative expertise and professional guidance to enable the trans-disciplinary environment and highly collaborative culture that advances discovery and training for all the research faculty, trainees, students and staff.
Core Accountabilities:
Organizational Impact: Independently delivers on objectives with understanding of how they impact the results of own area/team and other related teams. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Utilizes multiple sources of data to analyze and resolve complex problems; may take a new perspective on existing solution. Breadth of Knowledge: Has advanced knowledge within a professional area and basic knowledge across related areas. Team Interaction: Acts as a "go-to" resource for colleagues with less experience; may lead small project teams.
Core Capabilities :
Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas. - Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships. - Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them. - Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly. - Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches. - Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges. - Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.
Position Qualifications:
Responsibilities:
Certifications :
Work Experience :
Relevant Work Experience
Experience Level :
4 years
Education :
Bachelor's
This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.
Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.