Research Support Assistant II

Job Title: Research Support Assistant II

Grade: 10

Salary:$44,574-$53,143

The Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene is seeking a qualified candidate to fill a full-time Research Support Assistant (100% full-time effort) in our neuroscience laboratory, in which they will provide research support for several projects focused on the neural circuit mechanisms underlying motivated behavior. Working under the direction of the Principal Investigator and senior laboratory staff, the Research Support Assistant will contribute to ongoing studies through laboratory animal handling, behavioral testing, in vivo fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology, tissue processing, and immunohistochemistry, along with associated data collection, organization, and analysis.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the projects of senior laboratory members, including data collection using techniques such as in vivo fiber photometry, in vivo electrophysiology, tissue processing, and immunohistochemistry.
• Handle, care for, and maintain laboratory rodents (mice and/or rats), including colony management, breeding, and record-keeping.
• Assist with the setup, execution, and monitoring of behavioral experiments.
• Perform tissue collection, sectioning, staining, and mounting of brain tissue for histological analysis.
• Acquire and process images using microscopy and quantify results.
• Enter, organize, and back up experimental data; generate figures and summaries using standard graphing software and the Microsoft Office suite.
• Maintain laboratory supplies, equipment, and general lab organization; prepare solutions and reagents.
• Adhere to all institutional, IACUC, and safety protocols and maintain accurate records.
• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to accommodate experimental timelines.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS/BA or equivalent degree in neuroscience, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, or related) field
• At least (6) months experience of handling laboratory rodents (mice and/or rats).
• At least (6) months' experience of using standard graphing software and Microsoft Office suite.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least (6) months of hands-on experience with in vivo fiber photometry, vivo electrophysiology, or comparable neural recording techniques.
• At least (6) months of experience with tissue processing and immunohistochemistry (perfusion, sectioning, staining, and mounting).
• At least (6) months of experience with fluorescence or confocal microscopy and image quantification.
• Prior experience with rodent stereotaxic surgery, behavioral assays, and/or colony management.

Work Location: 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032

To Apply: Submit an application through our website at https://rfmh.applicantpro.com/jobs/. Please note only applications submitted through our website will be considered.

The Mission of the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, Inc. (RFMH) is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. RFMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals, organizations, and communities. To this end, RFMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring that RFMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees' unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. RFMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

The Research Foundation is a private not-for-profit corporation and is not an agency or instrumentality of the State of New York. Employees of the Research Foundation are not state employees, do not participate in any state retirement system, and do not receive state fringe benefits. Excellent Benefits Package. Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer - Disabled/Veteran, 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) compliant.