Research Staff Assistant

Research Staff Assistant

• 560454
• Palisades
• EIL Biology and Paleo Environ
• Full Time
• Opening on: Nov 3 2026
• Grade R3

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• Job Type: Support Staff - Non-Union
• Bargaining Unit:
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Standard Work Schedule:
• Building:
• Salary Range: $44,000-$45,500

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University''s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

A strong internal candidate has been identified for this position, however, we are still accepting applications from other qualified candidates.

Position Summary

Under the close supervision of the Principal Investigator (PI), the Research Staff Assistant will contribute to projects within both the Organic Chemistry Facility and the Rock & Ice Laboratory.

In the Organic Chemistry Facility, duties include assisting with sediment preparation, lipid extraction, and the isolation and purification of target lipid compounds for paleoclimate reconstruction, as well as preparing laboratory glassware and consumables to maintain analytical readiness. In the Rock & Ice Laboratory, the Research Staff Assistant will support experimental investigations of ice deformation processes through participation in experimental design and setup, sample preparation, imaging, quantitative image analysis, and post-experimental clean-up to ensure the generation of high-quality, reproducible data.

Responsibilities

• Organic Chemistry Facility: Assist with sediment preparation, including sample drying, grinding, and weighing to support downstream analyses.
• Rock & Ice Laboratory: Participate in the experimental design and setup, sample preparation, image analysis, and post-experimental clean-up.
• Perform lipid extraction following established protocols to general extracts for analysis by the PI.
• Contribute to the isolation and purification of lipid biomarkers used in paleoclimate reconstruction.
• Prepare and maintain laboratory glassware, consumables, and solutions to ensure a clean and efficient work environment.
• Will work under the close supervision of the PI and may use some independent judgement and initiative within defined parameters.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor''s degree in a scientific discipline is required. Minimum of 6 months of experience in a research environment is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.