Fungal Biobank Curatorial Technician

Overview

Date Posted: 11/04/2025

Req ID: 45831

Faculty/Division: Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Department: Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Position Number: 00058754

Description

About us: The Dalla Lana School of Public Health is a Faculty of the University of Toronto that originated as one of the Schools of Hygiene begun by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1927. The School plays a critical role in the COVID-19 pandemic response and is now the largest public health school in Canada, with more than 850 faculty, 1,000 students, and research and training partnerships with institutions throughout Toronto and the world. It has approximately $53.3 million in research funding per year and contributes to population health and health policy through discoveries and innovation in data science and AI, maternal, child and reproductive health, climate change, implementation and improvement sciences, vaccines and prevention, and global and Indigenous health among other areas. The School also notes philanthropic support and extensive alumni engagement.

Your opportunity: The Dalla Lana School of Public Health originated as one of the Schools of Hygiene started by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1927. It played a critical role in the COVID-19 pandemic response and is now the largest public health school in Canada, with more than 850 faculty, 1,000 students, and partnerships worldwide. With funding in the tens of millions per year for research and a broad range of health-related priorities, the School contributes to improving population health, health policy, and health systems through discoveries and innovation in data science and AI; and other priority health areas. The UAMH Centre for Global Microfungal Biodiversity holds a public biobank of approximately 12,000 living biospecimens representing over 3,200 species and is a premier repository in this field.

Position

As a Fungal Biobank Curatorial Technician, you will be part of a dynamic team supporting Dr. James Scott to oversee day-to-day operations of the lab, ensuring technical procedures and regulations are followed to preserve, ship, process, catalogue and archive microfungi for research, manufacturing, and diagnostic testing. You will ensure adherence to regulatory requirements for handling, use, and transport of microbiological agents, complete safety audits and regulatory reviews, prepare cost estimates, maintain curatorial databases, preserve living strains, and perform DNA isolations and sequencing.

Responsibilities

- Oversee day-to-day operational needs for mycology lab(s), including preparing and reviewing standard laboratory operating procedures

- Preserve living strains using multiple methodologies (e.g., vapour phase liquid nitrogen, lyophilization, oil stocks, water stocks)

- Perform DNA isolation, PCR, and Sanger sequencing; edit and align DNA sequences for molecular strain identification

- Verify appropriate transfer permits and biosafety requirements by liaising with regulators

- Perform original descriptive cataloguing of resources and/or archival materials and digitize collections

- Order, prepare and maintain supplies (e.g., reagents, lab stocks), including dealing with vendors and keeping records of invoices

- Orient students and trainees to the lab (including ensuring biosafety training, arranging key cards, ensuring adequate space in the lab to do their work)

- Maintain curatorial database and other relevant records

Essential Qualifications

- Master's degree in Mycology (or related field) or acceptable combination of equivalent experience

- Minimum three years of experience working as a Laboratory Technician in a research environment

- Demonstrated experience working with fungal taxonomy emphasizing microfungi

- Familiarity with modern literature on fungal systematics

- Advanced skills at laboratory manipulation of microfungi and sterile technique

- Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements relating to the handling, use, and transport of microbiological agents

- Experience with DNA isolation, PCR, and reactions for Sanger sequencing; editing and aligning DNA sequences for molecular strain identification

- Experience with preserving living microbial strains using multiple methodologies

- Experience with lab purchasing, liaising with vendors, maintaining equipment, tracking and maintaining inventory

- Experience maintaining curatorial databases (or similar)

- Advanced proficiency with MS Office Suite, and DNA editing and alignment software

- Strong oral and written communication skills, ability to exercise initiative and work with other lab members including experience demonstrating general lab procedures

- Strong organizational and time-management skills, including task prioritization and record-keeping

- Ability to work with a diverse group of colleagues

- Manual dexterity and close attention to detail

To be successful in this role you will be

- Accountable

- Multi-tasker

- Organized

- Resourceful

Please note

- This is a one (1) year term position.

Closing Date: 11/12/2025, 11:59PM ET

Employee Group: USW

Appointment Type: Grant - Term

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: USW Pay Band 12 -- $81,312 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $103,986. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.

Job Category: Engineering / Technical

Recruiter: Sharon Hung

Lived Experience Statement

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community and seeks to increase diversity among its members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our commitment to excellence in our academic mission. The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and strives to make recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and to provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

#J-18808-Ljbffr