NIH ANIMAL BIOLOGIST - Bethesda - 20813

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
* Work products and documents related to establishing and maintaining records of laboratory supply usage; order, ship and receive lab supplies; document the usage of general laboratory supplies; communicate with vendors and suppliers about orders
* Develop, validate, perform and interpret a variety of complex experimental techniques and procedures; work with staff to develop procedures addressing new animal study needs, logistics, modifications to standard operating procedures, and or existing guidelines to resolve technical problems
* Work with staff on the modification of laboratory protocols and experiments based on literature findings
* Search and review literature related to project; summarize and evaluate findings
* Document all laboratory procedures, experiments and results; maintain and update laboratory notebooks and databases
* Conduct behavioral testing and perform surgery on small animal models
* Perform behavioral assays in association with the primary research project
* Coordinate husbandry, animal care and enrichment activities to maintain a clean, safe and regulatory compliant animal research program
* Work with staff to manage and conduct behavioral training and testing of animals for users of the Section
* Conduct animal behavioral testing, including T-maze, step down, conditioned place preference/aversion, oral, inhalation and intravenous drug self-administration, forced-swim test, hot-plate, tail-flick, von Frey, locomotion, elevated plus maze, open-field, novel object recognition, ultrasonic vocalization recording and startle reflex
* Develop and maintain a spreadsheet of animal breeding records; record lineage, genotype, birth, death and experimental use of each animal
* Set up animals to be available in numbers and at the time required
* Develop and maintain a breeding database to record all animals in the breeding colony
* Anticipate animal needs for lab research and colony maintenance; adjust the number of breeding pairs accordingly
* Determine best type of breeding units to set up for lab needs, including but not limited to continuous pairs, harems, and timed-pregnancies
* Manage and breed animal colonies; genotype animals and report genotyping results to staff
* Communicate and collaborate with investigators regarding colony and support duties
* Work with staff to maintain, breed, genotype and phenotype transgenic animal colony; maintain records of animal colony
* Handle, dissect and euthanize animals
* Maintain animal colony, including general husbandry, breeding, plug checks, weaning, tagging animals and obtaining tail or ear snips for genotyping, and euthanasia
* Handle, dissect and euthanize animals
* Perform skilled routine surgical procedures in support of on-going animal studies
* Develop new surgical or animal handling techniques as needed to support projects
* Perform complex surgical techniques, necropsies, blood and tissue sample collection
* Prepare animals for surgery and ensure proper disposal of animal carcasses
* Maintain animal lines in transgenic facilities
* Harvest and collect animal embryos, tissues, and organs
* Perform a variety of specialized tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning and staining techniques
* Perform analysis of animal tissues; prepare frozen slices and paraffin sections, appropriately stained to demonstrate normal and abnormal structures
* Perform a variety of specialized tissue fixation, embedding, sectioning and staining techniques
* Perform Immunohistochemistry and assist lab members with checking the expression of fluorescent proteins in vivo using mouse imaging method
* Perform light and confocal microscopy
* Work with staff to process tissue for immunohistochemistry
* Perform Western Blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence
* Perform molecular biology and cloning techniques, tissue histochemistry and immunohistochemistry
* Update and maintain laboratory notebooks and databases; collect, analyze and interpret data
* Perform quantitative analysis; data analysis, figure preparation, and image acquisition; maintain complete and detailed records of all experiments
* Collect, organize and record experimental data for publication and future reference by others
* Collate, edit and archive electronic and paper laboratory files, notebooks and databases
* Perform computer analysis and use computer software to prepare images
* Prepare reports and manuscripts based on experimental results
* Participate and collaborate in the preparation of scientific publications for peer reviewed journals based on the results
* Work with staff on the preparation of data and images for use in research presentations and publications
* Write and edit drafts for journal submission; read manuscript drafts of other laboratory members
* Edit and write research papers and protocols
ABOUT ACTALENT:
Actalent connects passion with purpose. Our scalable talent solutions and services capabilities drive value and results and provide the expertise to help our customers achieve more. Every day, our experts around the globe are making an impact. We're supporting critical initiatives in engineering and sciences that advance how companies serve the world. Actalent promotes consultant care and engagement through experiences that enable continuous development. Our people are the difference. Actalent is an operating company of Allegis Group, the global leader in talent solutions.
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