The Ecosystem Conservation lab at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), led by Dr. Kim Komatsu, is recruiting a full-time federal research technician. Our lab explores community and ecosystem responses to global change drivers, and the role that competition, symbioses, and trophic interactions play in shaping those responses (https://serc.si.edu/labs/ecosystem-conservation). Our research projects occur in field, lab, and greenhouse settings and include ecological genetics, microbial culturing, and field-based species identification, often in an experimental framework. The technician will be based at SERC and will participate in collaborative projects investigating the impacts of global change drivers such as increased nutrient availability, elevated CO2, altered consumer pressure, and climate change on plant, microbial, and invertebrate communities. SERC is a vibrant community of scientists set within a 1027-hectare field-site, and located near the Annapolis, MD and Washington, DC metro areas.
Field and greenhouse duties will include plant species identification and collection, measurement of environmental parameters, seed preparation, experimental set-up and monitoring, and data entry. Lab duties will include sample processing, microbial culturing, routine molecular tasks (e.g., DNA extraction, PCR, DNA visualization, sequencing, genotyping), and next generation sequencing library prep. In addition, the technician will be responsible for day-to-day lab organization and safety under the direction of the PI, including supply inventory and ordering, maintaining lab records (hardcopy and digital), and working collaboratively with other lab members.
Minimum qualifications include one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the Federal Service or comparable pay band system, at least one full year of graduate education that meets the requirements of the GS-7 level, or a combination of specialized experience and education. For this position specialized experience is defined as completing field and laboratory tasks related to community and field ecology in terrestrial ecosystems (grassland, forests), data management, bacterial culturing, and ecological genetics. We seek a candidate with strong communication and organizational skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
The Smithsonian Institution is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, and disability. The SERC community recognizes the value of diversity in promoting innovative science and creative solutions, and we strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
Applications for this position will only be accepted through the USAJobs portal from 9/23/2020-10/6/2020:
Questions related to this position can be addressed to Kim Komatsu, komatsuk@si.edu .