Laboratory Operations Manager

**Classification & Regular Hours**:
Hours per Week: 37.5

Salary Grade 13: $61,250 - $72,020

Please note, this position is wholly grant funded.

**About Western**:
**About Us**:
The mission of the Translational Cognitive Neuroscience Lab (TCNLab; PIs Dr Lisa Saksida and Dr Tim Bussey) is to understand the circuits and mechanisms underlying cognition, particularly learning and memory. This is essential for improving diagnosis and early detection of brain disease, and for finding possible new treatments. The Rodent Cognition Research and Innovation Core (RoCRIC) and the MouseTRAP Core Facility supports, through technical staff salaries and operational costs, existing infrastructure for both conventional and advanced touchscreen-based rodent neurobehavioural experimentation at Western University. The research carried out by the TCNLab, RoCRIC), and the MouseTRAP teams combines neurobiological techniques for manipulating and observing brain circuits (e.g., DREADDs, optogenetics, pharmacology, transgenic and knockout mouse models, viral vectors, fibre photometry) with sophisticated analysis of cognition using mainly touchscreen-based assessment systems. This system enables us to use very similar, and in many cases identical, cognitive assays in mice, rats and humans—maximizing the likelihood that the same underlying cognitive processes are being probed.

**Responsibilities**:
The Laboratory Operations Manager will require a high degree of technical expertise and will oversee day-to-day operations in the TCNLab and related components of the RoCRIC and MouseTRAP Core Facility. The role will provide effective and efficient management of all laboratory operations and ensure that faculty members and trainees have the required information, guidance, documentation, and resources. The Manager will ensure seamless operation of experiments and systems by overseeing maintenance and upgrade of neurotechnologies and touchscreen systems, the scheduling of equipment for experiments, and user training. The Manager will be responsible for managing lab space, will interact with and help to oversee trainees, and will work in collaboration with other lab staff, postdoctoral fellows and students. Additionally, the role will provide technical expertise and assistance in the development and/or validation of neurotechnologies, including touchscreen-based behaviour, fibre photometry and optogenetics as well as data collection, extraction and analysis. The Manager will play a key role in the management of key projects, including establishing better lab workflows; development and validation of new techniques (e.g., new biosensors); and development of external facing initiatives such as touchscreencognition.org.

**Qualifications**:
**Education**:

- Master’s Degree in Life Sciences or equivalent
- PhD in Life Sciences or equivalent is preferred

**Experience**:

- 3 years’ research experience in a neurobiology lab
- Experience in molecular and cellular analysis of brain tissue
- Experience in behavioral analysis in a research setting
- Experience training students and managing multiple research projects
- _Preferred:_
- Experience in behavioral neuroscience and laboratory management
- Experience in optogenetics, DREADDs and/or fibre photometry with biosensors
- Experience in molecular and cellular biology shown by publications in the field of neuroscience
- Experience in touchscreen-based behavioural assessment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

- In-depth knowledge of research principles and techniques related to behavioural neuroscience, animal handling and animal care
- Familiarity with preventative maintenance techniques and practices and highly motivated to oversee high quality science
- Knowledge of general laboratory procedures and demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve lab issues
- Familiarity with methods for research design, implementation, and analysis
- Ability to work efficiently and effectively to priorities
- Ability to work flexibly around variable work demands
- Ability to focus and attend to detail while also understanding the big picture
- Ability to work independently and troubleshoot research issues and equipment
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills to effectively interact with technical and non-technical stakeholders, contributing positively to a team environment
- Ability to speak and present to both small and large groups in formal and informal settings and complete detailed analytics and reports
- Project management training and expertise
- Skills with behavioural analysis using touchscreen tasks of cognition preferred
- Sound knowledge of associated risks in a research environment

**Background Checks**:
Please note, successful applicants may be required to produce a current police information record check(s) from a police service prior to commencing employment.

**Western Values Diversity**:
Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. I