Research Specialist

Posting Information

Posting Information

Department Alcohol Studies Center - 428801 Career Area Research Professionals Posting Open Date 10/30/2026 Application Deadline 11/08/2026 Position Type Temporary Staff (SHRA) Position Title Research Specialist Position Number 20079316 Vacancy ID S028210 Full-time/Part-time Full-Time Temporary Hours per week 40 Work Schedule

Monday - Friday, 40 hours/ week

Position Location North Carolina, US Hiring Range $23.00 - $25.00 per hour Proposed Start Date 12/01/2026 Estimated Duration of Appointment 6 months or longer

Position Information

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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.

Position Summary

The Ferguson Laboratory at the Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies is a translational research lab working to understand the biological mechanisms that contribute to vulnerability or resilience to addiction and other psychiatric disorders, as well as differences in treatment response and outcomes. We combine mouse models and human subjects research to investigate how alcohol affects the brain and body, identify blood-based biomarkers, and discover new therapeutic targets.

We are looking for a motivated and organized Research Specialist to join our team! This position combines hands-on participation in research with responsibility for keeping the lab running smoothly, including ordering, inventory, laboratory organization, research documentation, and regulatory support. We value collaboration, initiative, open communication, and a desire to learn.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a discipline related to the area of assignment; or equivalent combination of training and experience. All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Management Preferences

• Interest in alcohol/addiction neuroscience, neuropharmacology, neuroimmunology, genomics, or translational neuroscience
• Strong organizational, documentation, or recordkeeping skills
• Prior research experience, preferably in mouse behavior and/or relevant laboratory molecular biology or biochemical techniques such as nucleic acid purification, immunohistochemistry, microscopy, blood processing.
• Ability to work independently to take ownership of assigned responsibilities
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills

Special Physical/Mental Requirements Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions Quick Link https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/327899 Temporary Employment Policies

Temporary Employment Policies

Posting Contact Information

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (919) 843-2300 or send an email to employment@unc.edu

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Optional and Required Documents

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Please describe how your experience qualifies you for this position.

(Open Ended Question)

• • What about this position is most interesting to you and why?

(Open Ended Question)

• • What are your long term career goals?

(Open Ended Question)

• • Describe your ideal work environment.

(Open Ended Question)