Research Technician
- Employer
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
View more categoriesView less categories
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Center for Molecular Medicine - 428001
Career Area :Research Professionals
Posting Open Date:09/17/2026
Application Deadline:10/16/2026
Position Type:Temporary Staff (SHRA)
Position Title :Research Technician
Position Number:20078680
Vacancy ID:S028078
Full-time/Part-time:Full-Time Temporary
Hours per week:40
Work Schedule:Monday – Friday; 40 hours per week
Position Location:North Carolina, US
Hiring Range:$25.00 - $34.96 per hour
Estimated Duration of Appointment:6 months or longer
Be a Tar Heel!:A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.
Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.
Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.
Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.
Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.
This position will serve as a Research Technician within the Gene Therapy Center in UNC’s School of Medicine in the lab of Dr. Sara Powell. The Research Technician will be responsible for:
1. Experimental Execution & Data Collection
* Study Protocol Adherence: Execute complex in vivo studies according to approved Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols, ensuring all procedures are performed exactly as specified.
* Dosing & Administration: Perform administration of rAAV vectors to animals models using various routes (e.g. IV, IP, SC, or IM).
* Physiological Monitoring: Conduct longitudinal assessments, including body weight tracking, clinical scoring, and behavioral observations.
* Sample Processing: Execute perfusion, necropsy and tissue collection procedures with technical proficiency, ensuring proper preparations for downstream analysis ( tissue sectioning, DNARNA isolation).
2. Animal Welfare & Regulatory Compliance
* Clinical Assessment: Perform daily health checks to monitor for signs of distress, morbidity, or pain, ensuring immediate reporting and intervention according to the study’s humane endpoints.
* Husbandry Standards: Maintain rigorous environmental controls (e.g., temperature, humidity, lighting, and cage sanitation) in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals.
* Order animals.
* Record Keeping: Maintain meticulous, real-time records of all animal activities, including surgery logs, treatment administration, and adverse event reports to ensure audit readiness.
3. Technical & Laboratory Operations
* Instrumentation: As needed, utilize instruments to process animal tissue for analysis (e.g. vibratome and ddPCR).
* Inventory Oversight: Manage stocks of specialized supplies, including anesthetics, surgical consumables, and study-specific reagents, ensuring quality control and appropriate expiration tracking.
* Sterile Technique: Maintain high standards of aseptic technique for all surgical procedures to prevent cross-contamination or infection.
Demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work.
Management Preferences:- Experience establishing or managing animal models, particularly rat and mouse models, for various genetic disorders
- Skilled in performing complex animal procedures, including necropsy, specimen collection, pharmacokinetic sample collection or behavioral scoring, while maintaining compliance with institutional, regulatory, or animal care protocols
- Effective oral and written communication skills
- Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced research environment
Not Applicable.
Organization
The nation’s first public university is at the heart of what’s next, preparing a diverse student body to become creators, explorers, innovators and leaders in North Carolina and throughout the world. Carolina’s nationally recognized, innovative teaching, campus-wide spirit of inquiry and dedication to public service continue the legacy that began in 1795 when the University first opened its doors to students.
Here, in one of America's most beautiful college settings, we offer exceptional careers in richly diverse fields. Come explore what UNC-Chapel Hill has to offer you.
Undergraduate Enrollment: 19,117
Graduate/Professional Enrollment: 10,894
Total Student Enrollment: 30,011
Founded: 1789, as the first state university in the United States
Type of Institution: Public, four-year
Undergraduate Admission: 15,961
Graduate/Professional Enrollment: 10,039
Total Student Enrollment: 26,000
Faculty: 3,000
Percentage of faculty who hold Ph.D.s or the highest degrees in their field: 94 percent
Faculty/student ratio: 1/14
Location: UNC is located in the heart of Chapel Hill, the best college town in America! It's a friendly town of about 40,000 in the geographical center of North Carolina. Chapel Hill is at the western point of the Research Triangle, an area of about one million people, comprised of Chapel Hill, the cities of Durham and Raleigh, and the Research Triangle Park, home of many corporate offices and scientific research centers. Carolina is about 30 miles from the state capital, Raleigh, and 20 minutes from Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Chapel Hill's main street, Franklin Street, borders the campus and offers shops, coffee houses, cafés, movie theaters and houses of worship. The town has a historic district, museum, library, parks, malls, and many recreational facilities.
Origins of Carolina's students: 82 percent of UNC's freshmen are from North Carolina and 18 percent are from out-of-state. Our students come from 42 different states and our international students represent 37 countries.
Size of freshman class: Approximately 3,400
Class size: Barely five percent of undergraduate classes contain more than 100 students; two-thirds of undergraduate classes have fewer than 30 students. Forty-one percent have fewer than 20 students, including First Year Seminars, in which first-year students work closely with professors.
Sports and athletic programs: UNC is an NCAA Division I school with 28 varsity teams. Carolina is the proud home of the Dean Smith Center, Kenan Stadium, Carmichael Auditorium, Koury Natatorium, and many other fine athletic facilities. Students join more than 60 intramural and club sports, which include baseball, bowling, crew, golf, lacrosse, rock climbing, rugby, tae kwon do, and ultimate frisbee. The Student Recreation Center offers weight training, aerobics, stair machines, and all the equipment you would expect to find at a great health club! Carolina offers a newly renovated outdoor pool and indoor pools, a golf course, tennis courts, and the longest zipline in America!
Number of residence halls: Incoming undergraduates will live in one of Carolina's 29 residence halls, which are wired for Internet access and cable television. housing.unc.edu
Scholarships and financial aid: About 40 percent of UNC-Chapel Hill students receive scholarships and/or some form of financial aid. studentaid.unc.edu
Special research institutes: Institute for Research in Social Science, Institute of Outdoor Drama, Morehead Planetarium, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, Institute of Government, Institute of African American Research.
Career services: On-campus counseling, job fairs, résumé writing service, internships, placement services. www.unc.edu/depts/career
Technological facilities: Students find multiple uses for Carolina's state-of-the-art technological resources. They can access Carolina's computer services through Academic Technology and Networks, which manages academic computing, e-mail, microcomputing labs, interactive media presentation, video and classroom support, and a help desk. The MetaLab oversees the development of SunSITE, one of the world's busiest digital library and electronic publishing projects.
Students may open e-mail accounts, and many use campus computer resources to construct personal Web pages. Students in residence halls have hardwired network connections to the Internet and cable television in their rooms. At the ATN Training center, students may take classes on software packages and utilities. Computer labs are available for student use all over campus.
Carolina Computing Initiative: Beginning with the freshman class of 2000, undergraduates must purchase laptop computers. The University has arranged for IBM to offer computers at excellent prices. Students, faculty, and staff will enjoy cost savings, higher quality compatible equipment, and better technical support through CCI. www.unc.edu/cci
The Study Abroad program allows students to live and learn in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim, Africa, and the Americas. www.unc.edu/depts/abroad
The Honors Program offers special seminars, research programs, and the chance to design your own independent studies. www.unc.edu/depts/honors
Carolina students spend time in public service through student organizations, the Campus Y, the Carolina Center for Public Service, and courses that incorporate community service.
UNC's chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, a national collegiate honor society, is the oldest in North Carolina, dating from 1904. There are many other honorary societies at Carolina.
UNC offers ROTC programs in all branches of national military service.
Through the First Year Seminars program, first year students will understand what it means to study at a premier research university. They will learn from faculty members and share in their research in seminars of no more than 20 students.
Life outside the classroom: More than 370 clubs, teams, and student organizations offer something for everyone! You can choose from among musical and dramatic performing groups, publications, ethnic and religious clubs, the Campus Y and other service organizations, fraternities and sororities, and pre- professional organizations. Whatever your interests, you will find others at Carolina who share them! www.unc.edu/depts/union/student/listintr.htm
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