Research Assistant (Nucleic Acid Extractions)

The Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) invites applications for the position of Research Assistant.

SCELSE is a unique interdisciplinary Research Centre of Excellence (RCE), funded by National Research Foundation, Ministry of Education (Singapore), Nanyang Technological University and National University of Singapore. Hosted by NTU in partnership with NUS, SCELSE is linking new insights from the life sciences with expertise from emerging technologies in engineering and natural sciences to understand, harness and control microbial biofilm communities and microbiomes.

We are currently looking for a Research Assistant to work within our Air Microbiome project. The group uses metagenomics, whole genome sequencing, and computational and statistical analysis to investigate the ecology of airborne microorganisms. This role will be mostly focused on extraction of DNA and RNA from environmental samples and cell cultures, and will additionally involve other general support work in a busy research environment.

 
Key Responsibilities: 

• Isolation and quality-control of DNA and RNA from environmental samples.
• Genomic DNA extraction with high quality to for next generation sequencing.
• Troubleshooting and optimization of existing protocols.
• Assisting with outdoor and indoor field sampling.
• Handling and maintaining cultures of microbial isolates

Job Requirements:

• A university degree, Polytechnic diploma or extensive lab experience in Molecular Biology, Microbiology or related fields. Experience in molecular biology and microbiology lab for more than 6 months.
• General working knowledge of sterile technique and basic molecular biological techniques.
• Experience in genomic DNA extraction for next generation sequencing highly desirable.
• Familiarity with best laboratory practice and health & safety regulations.
• Experience of isolation and quality control of DNA and RNA samples for high throughput sequencing applications.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise ongoing work.
• Ability to manage and maintain laboratory records and documentation.
• Flexible approach to work and ability to operate as part of a team.
• Familiarity with standard microbiological procedures both for general lab operation (e.g. microbiological media preparation) and experimental work (e.g. cultivation of microbes, especially environmental isolates)
• Previous experience with high-throughput sequencing pipelines would be beneficial.
• Experience with liquid handling robotics is an advantage

To find out more about SCELSE, visit us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Twitter and our website: http://scelse.sg .

We regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Hiring Institution: NTU

In line with Singapore’s nationwide Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS), employees must be fully vaccinated to return to the workplace, unless certified to be medically ineligible. For Information on VDS, please click here .