Oregon Health & Science University

Research Assistant

Job Locations US-OR-Portland
Requisition ID
2026-38897
Position Category
Research
Position Type
Regular Full-Time
Job Type
Research
Department
SM.BEHN Administration
Salary Range
$23.18 - $33.02 per hour, with offer based on experience, education and internal equity
FTE
1.00
Schedule
Monday - Friday (occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays to meet project requirements)
Hours
Typically 9:00am - 5:30pm
HR Mission
School of Medicine
Drug Testable
No
LinkedIn Job Code
LI-LP1

Department Overview

The department of Behavioral Neuroscience performs cutting edge research and teaching focused on the neuroscience of behavior. The goal of the Wolf lab is to understand synaptic plasticity in the nucleus accumbens and related circuits that underlies this persistent vulnerability. We use the 'incubation of drug craving' model in which cue-induced drug craving in rats progressively intensifies (incubates) over the first weeks of abstinence from drug self-administration and then remains high for months.

Function/Duties of Position

  • Handling rats and implementing experimental protocols (e.g., weighing, giving injections/infusions, conducting surgical procedures, preparing for and conducting intravenous drug self-administration experiments, collecting data, and performing histology and immunohistochemistry).
  • Handling and breeding rats, and implementing experimental protocols required for maintenance of the breeding colony.
  • Recordkeeping, data organization and data management (e.g., experimental records, lab notebooks, drug logs, data entry, data checking, data summary, data analysis, data graphing).
  • Performing some lab management duties (e.g., coordinating schedules, ordering rats) and training and functional guidance of volunteers, summer students, new graduate students and new RAs.
  • Maintenance/ordering of laboratory equipment and supplies, and maintaining of inventories.
  • Assistance in maintaining equipment.
  • Writing assignments, database searches, lab meetings, and special assignments related to preparation of posters, manuscripts, reports, grant applications, regulatory documentation and compliance.
  • Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in relevant field; OR
  • Associate's AND 3 years of relevant experience; OR
  • 4 years of relevant experience; OR
  • Equivalent combination of training and experience.
  • Research experience in neuroscience or biology laboratory.
  • Experience handling rats or mice.
  • Must be able to independently perform a variety of procedures and apply specialized knowledge based on experience.
  • Must understand experimental protocols so that unusual or unexpected outcomes can be identified without continuous close supervision.
  • Must work collaboratively with other lab personnel. 
  • Innovation and problem solving required.
  • Ability to assume independent responsibility for designing and executing assigned research studies.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Rodent intravenous drug self-administration.
  • Rodent survival surgery, including stereotaxic procedures.
  • Histology, immunohistochemistry, microscopy.
  • Research design and statistics.

Additional Details

Usually Monday - Friday, 9:00am-5:30 pm; however, some weekend and holiday work will be necessary to meet project requirements.

Job requires contact with animals for several hours a day in areas where animals are housed.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center.

In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington.

All are welcome.

OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply.

To request reasonable accommodation, contact askhr@ohsu.edu

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