Research Assistant I, Internal Medicine

About the role

UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas is hiring a Research Assistant I (RAI) to support the Dallas Heart Study (DHS), specifically Visit 4 and Visit 5 activities. The study involves in-person diabetes-focused research visits for about 1,500 participants per visit cycle, using continuous glucose monitoring to evaluate glucose patterns and cardiometabolic risk factors. The RAI processes biospecimens, including blood and urine samples, to isolate and prepare plasma, serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for storage and future research.

Key responsibilities

• Receive, process, aliquot and cryopreserve biospecimens and manage specimen inventory
• Follow established laboratory protocols and quality control procedures
• Perform more difficult scientific and medical research work in fields such as biology, chemistry or physics
• Construct, assemble and operate laboratory equipment and apparatus
• Record and evaluate data for scientific papers and project reports, and collaborate on their preparation
• Read literature and discuss procedures with the supervisor; supervise lower-grade laboratory personnel when needed

Required profile

• Education: Master's degree with coursework in the field, or Bachelor's degree, or 2 years of college with an emphasis in the field, or high school diploma or GED
• Experience: 1 year of research experience at Research Technician level with a Bachelor's, or 4 years of research experience including 2 years at Research Technician level with 2 years of college, or 6 years of research experience with a high school diploma or GED including 2 years at Research Technician level
• Experience with biospecimen processing, wet laboratory techniques and REDCap data management
• Strong organizational and communication skills are highly desirable

What we offer

• PPO medical plan available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage, with 100% coverage for preventive care
• Paid time off and paid parental leave benefit
• Retirement programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas
• Wellness programs and tuition reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) qualified employer