Aerobiology Laboratory Technician

ICON Government and Public Health Solutions specializes in preclinical through phase IV support of clinical research and clinical trial services for biologics, drugs, and devices. We help our customers get their products to market faster with a wide array of research, regulatory, and sponsor services both within the US and around the globe and respond rapidly to global health crises.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Reasonable Accommodation Statement:

To accomplish this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation, each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to help enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

* Generate, characterize and sample biological aerosols to support pathogenesis and medical countermeasure studies against biothreat agents. This shall include animal plethysmography, aerosol supervision and assisting, assaying, and decontaminations; attendance is required at scheduled trainings provided by qualified division staff. Workload is approximately 100 - 200 aerosol exposures per year.
* Investigate independently, and in collaboration with others, events during the phases of infection in representative laboratory animals prior to and following agent exposure.
* Support all technical aspects of animal protocols including but not limited to performing animal observations, physicals, sample collection, sample processing, and euthanasia as required; attendance is required at scheduled trainings provided by qualified Veterinary Medicine Division staff.
* All laboratory tasks shall be conducted under the guidance of a study Principal Investigator and under the authority of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and in compliance with GLP standards. Studies will be conducted in a BSL-2, BSL-3, or BSL-4 laboratory environment. Workload is up to 20 protocols per year.
* Perform assays to include viral and bacterial stock characterization, plating assays, ELISA, RT-PCR, microarray, and cytokine analysis as required by approved in vivo and in vitro
* Perform clinical pathology evaluation to include hematology and clinical chemistry analysis in support of approved animal protocols.
* Maintain laboratory space and equipment. Record and document all equipment maintenance IAW USAMRIID SOPs and in compliance with GLP standards.
* Assist with SOP writing, revision and review to meet GLP requirements and assist in the generation of SOP risk assessments. Workload is typically ten (10) to twenty-five (25) SOPs per year.
* Coordinate and collaborate with Aerobiology leadership and personnel to assist in the development and implementation of a division technical training program. Contract staff will receive necessary training and once qualified by division leadership, assist in the training of other technical staff.
* Assist in preparing responses to well-documented and GLP audits. Typical workload is 15-25 audits per year.
* Complete annual GLP training and maintain records at that standard IAW all applicable regulations and USAMRIID SOPs.
* Assist building 1412 Suite Supervisor by ensuring weekly/monthly equipment and safety requirements are completed and documented IAW all applicable regulations and USAMRIID SOPs. Represent Aerobiology at monthly BSL-3/BSL-4 User and Suite Supervisor meetings and ensure the information gathered is disseminated to Aerobiology team members.
* Timely report observations of safety or standard operating procedure non-compliance IAW applicable USAMRIID SOPs, guidance and regulations.
* Hold and maintain BPRP status IAW the provisions in this contract and applicable regulations.

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Laboratory/office environment; may require working evenings and weekends. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to manipulate objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear. Work may involve long periods of standing and handling of numerous chemicals and/or hazardous biological material. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.