Department
ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL (BL-ENVR-IUBLA)
Department Information
The Indiana University (IU) School of Public Health-Bloomington (SPH-B) is dedicated to improving health and quality of life in Indiana and around the world through innovative research, education, and community engagement. Located on IU's flagship Bloomington campus, SPH-B brings together faculty, staff, and students across a broad range of public health disciplines to address today's most pressing health challenges. The School fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment that supports interdisciplinary scholarship, professional growth, and meaningful partnerships with communities and organizations locally, nationally, and globally.
Job Summary
A research technician position is available in the Capone Lab in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington. The technician will join a multidisciplinary team conducting a CDC-funded study focused on developing and applying integrated surveillance approaches for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infection in the southeastern United States. This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of environmental microbiology, parasitology, epidemiology, and public health surveillance.
Department Specific Responsibilities
- Integrates human and environmental samples (i.e., wastewater, septage, soil, flies, and stool) and uses microscopy and molecular methods, including digital PCR, to investigate STH infection and transmission.
- Leads sample analysis, coordinate laboratory activities and help manage this collaborative study.
- Interest in knowledge of parasitology and environmental health microbiology, and who enjoy working across laboratory, field, and quantitative research.
- Develops and optimizes laboratory methods.
- Analyzes environmental and epidemiologic data.
- Mentors undergraduate students.
- Collaborates with microbiologists, virologists, environmental engineers, entomologists, biologists, and epidemiologists.
- May also be available to participate in other domestic and international projects in the Capone Lab.
General Responsibilities
- Performs a wide variety of complex experiments and reports results.
- Keeps organized analytical data of performed experiments.
- Provides support for equipment maintenance as needed.
- Acts as a liaison to students and laboratory personnel for training.
- Maintains laboratory supply requisition and management.
- May train junior-level staff.
- May help plan experiments or short-term goals.
Qualifications
Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.
EDUCATION
Required
- Bachelor's degree (preferably in science, environmental health, environmental engineering, environmental science, microbiology or related field.)
SKILLS
Required
- Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
- Maintains a high degree of professionalism.
- Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
- Demonstrates a high commitment to quality.
- Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment.
- Highly thorough and dependable.
Preferred
- Experience with project management.
- Experience with parasitology.
- Experience with molecular microbiology methods (e.g., nucleic acid extraction, qPCR, dPCR) and quantitative data analysis.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- An interest in mentoring undergraduate students.
Working Conditions / Demands
The role regularly requires the ability to effectively communicate. The role frequently requires the ability to move about the work environment and to position oneself to operate laboratory equipment effectively. The role requires the ability to move objects weighing up to 25 pounds and will occasionally work near moving mechanical parts. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.
Additional Information
Dr. Drew Capone's research group has broad interests in environmental health microbiology. Current projects include public health surveillance using fecal waste streams, microbial fate and transport, the role of infrastructure in interrupting enteric pathogen transmission, and predicting public health outcomes using quantitative microbial risk assessment. Lab members conduct field research in Mozambique and Indiana, as well as wet lab work in Bloomington, Indiana. We use tools from engineering, epidemiology, and environmental health microbiology to investigate the problems affecting low-income individuals and aim to improve public health in the communities where these people live.
This is a limited term position. This position is expected to run for 1 year from hire date.
Work Location
Bloomington, Indiana
Advertised Salary
$40,000-42,500, based on experience
Benefits Overview
For full-time staff employees, Indiana University offers a wide array of benefits including:
- Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
- Health savings account with generous IU contributions
- Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- Basic group life insurance paid by IU
- Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
- Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
- Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
- Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
- 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
- Generous paid time off plans
- Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
- Employee assistance program (EAP)
Learn more about our benefits by reviewing the IU Benefit Programs Brochure.
Job Classification
Career Level: Intermediate
FLSA: Nonexempt
Job Function: Research
Job Family: Research Analysis
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Posting Disclaimer
This posting is scheduled to close at 11:59 pm EST on the advertised Close Date. This posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University, but will remain open for a minimum of 5 business days. To guarantee full consideration, please submit your application within 5 business days of the Posted Date.
If you wish to include a cover letter, you may include it with your resume when uploading attachments.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Indiana University is an equal opportunity employer and provider of ADA services and prohibits discrimination in hiring. See Indiana University Notice of Non-Discrimination here which includes contact information.
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Contact Us
Telephone: 812-856-1234
