Summary

The Thoracic Division is hiring a laboratory manager to manage and coordinate the activities of three translational laboratories in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery. This individual will assist faculty in developing their research programs.

Job Duties

Lab Operations Oversight:

• Ensure the smooth functioning of laboratory operations on a daily basis.
• Maintain stock levels, reorder supplies as needed, and ensure proper storage and organization of lab supplies for thoracic PIs.
• Monitor and enforce lab safety protocols and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Assist thoracic PIs in initiating, updating, and renewing Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols.
• Act as a liaison between the IACUC and the CCM teams to ensure compliance.
• Assist the Lab Director in preparing for IACUC committee meetings and facilitate visits from collaborators and companies for thoracic PIs.
• Consult with faculty to determine equipment purchase priorities based on budget, the condition of existing equipment, and scheduled laboratory activities.
• Prepare and set up equipment scheduled for use.
• Demonstrate the use and care of equipment to research personnel in the laboratory as needed.
• Maintain research databases using scientific software.
• Arrange service calls for equipment and order laboratory supplies.
• Diagnose equipment malfunctions and dismantle and repair equipment, applying knowledge of shop mechanics and using gauges, meters, hand tools, and power tools.
• Confer with faculty periodically to evaluate new equipment and methods.
• Serve as the biosafety officer for the laboratory or department as needed.
• Supervise laboratory personnel in various laboratory duties.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Financial & Contractual Oversight:

• Act as a liaison with the OSR core team, managing the budget for grants and contracts and handling the payment of invoices.
• Attend monthly meetings between principal investigators (PIs) and OSR to ensure effective budget management.
• Assist thoracic PIs in processing and managing Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Data Transfer Agreements (DTAs), and Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs) for research collaborations. 
• Serve as a liaison between the OSR team and the MTA team to streamline agreement documentation.

Lab Personnel Supervision:

• Support PIs in recruiting and onboarding new team members, and provide training in basic and translational research as well as laboratory techniques.
• Coordinate and conduct training sessions on research ethics for new division members.
• Coordinate with lab personnel to schedule experiments, maintain equipment, and address any operational issues.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among lab members to promote a productive research environment within the division.

Biorepository Management (in collaboration with Biorepository Coordinator):

• Coordinate with the Clinical Research Supervisor, clinical PIs, and lab personnel to ensure the collection of patient samples for the thoracic biorepository.
• Manage the Open Specimen biospecimen database, ensuring its accuracy and accessibility.
• Oversee the maintenance and updating of the database with samples collected for the thoracic biorepository.
• Collaborate with the Clinical Research Supervisor to maintain databases within the thoracic division.
• Ensure continuous access to databases for all members of the Thoracic Oversight Committee.
• Supervise and support the activities of the biorepository coordinator in preparation for Division Research Meetings.
• Attend Division Research Meetings to provide insights and updates on biorepository activities.
   

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Basic Science or related field. Four years of related experience may substitute for degree requirement.
• Five years of relevant experience, with prior supervisory experience.