TITLE: Technical Officer, Molecular & Cell Biology
LOCATION: Edmonton

NRC is composed of over 20 institutes and national programs, spanning a wide variety of disciplines and offering a broad array of services. We are located in every province in Canada and play a major role in stimulating community-based innovation.

NRC institutes and programs are organized into five (5) key areas:

Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Engineering
Technology and Industry Support
Corporate Services

TO-4
Anticipatory staffing for a term position.
Assignments and secondments may be considered according to NRC's policies.

Your Challenge
The successful candidate will be part of a team in the Nano Life Sciences group applying optical and force spectroscopies to study the effects of potential drugs on protein folding, at the level of single protein molecules. This work will be part of a collaborative project with local industry to develop a novel platform for drug discovery. The position will be responsible for providing technical support for the molecular/cell biology component of the project. Duties will include designing and preparing protein and protein/nucleic acid samples (all stages of cloning, expression, and purification), testing and characterizing these samples, labelling them with chemicals, and overseeing the maintenance of all stocks and records. The position will also involve training and supervising junior technical officers, and interacting with other project members in the Institute, at the University of Alberta, and at the industrial partner.

Screening Criteria
Applicants must demonstrate within the content of their application that they meet the following screening criteria in order to be given further consideration as candidates:

Education
M.Sc. in biology or biochemistry (specialization in molecular biology or microbiology). Ph.D. in biology, biochemistry, or biophysics would be considered an asset.

For alternate qualifications please refer to equivalency heading below.

Experience
Extensive experience with protein engineering expression and purification, including optimization of expression and growth conditions, protein extraction, FPLC, SDS-PAGE, western blotting, sedimentation, and other analytical techniques.

Extensive experience with molecular biology techniques, including PCR, plasmid design, plasmid construction, nucleic acid extraction and purification, nucleic acid analytical methods including gel electrophoresis and automated sequencing.

Significant experience providing technical support in a molecular biology, biochemical, or biomedicine research laboratory.

Experience with spectroscopic tools for protein characterization (CD-ORD, mass spectrometry, NMR).

Experience with bioconjugate techniques for protein labeling.

Knowledge of bioinformatics and use of public DNA/protein sequence and structure databases.

Experience in training on equipment or techniques will be an asset.

Equivalency
A combination of education and significant experience will be considered.

Condition of Employment
Reliability Status

Language Requirements
English

Assessment Criteria
Candidates will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

Technical Competencies:

Knowledge of:

protein engineering, expression, and purification techniques, including optimization of expression and growth conditions, protein extraction, FPLC, affinity chromatography;

molecular biology, with experience in recombinant techniques including PCR, design, construction and purification of recombinant plasmids;

analytical methods including agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, DNA sequencing, Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, sedimentation;

spectroscopic methods including CD, NMR, mass spectrometry; and

bioinformatics and use of public DNA/protein sequence and structure databases.

Ability to:

work in a careful and meticulous manner;

maintain a precise and organized laboratory notebook; and

work comfortably with novel instrumentation and technologies.

Behavioural Competencies:

Conceptual & Analytical Ability (1), Results Orientation (2), Teamwork (1), Initiative (1), Communication (1)

For this position, NRC will evaluate candidates using the following competency profile(s): Technology Support

All competency profiles are available at: http://careers-carrieres.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/jobsnow/competencies_e.html

Relocation
Relocation assistance will be determined in accordance with NRC's directives.

Salary Range
From $57,232 to $73,604 per annum.

Closing Date
12/10/2008
Applications will be accepted until 23:59 Eastern Standard Time

Notes
This position is being advertised internally and externally simultaneously, however first consideration will be given to internal applicants.

Eligibility List

An eligibility list may be established for similar positions for a one year period.

Back to Employment