Safety & Research Coordinator - The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology (UTIA)

University of Tennessee, Knoxville   Knoxville, TN   Full-time     Manufacturing / Production / Operations
Posted on May 6, 2024
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Safety and Research Coordinator
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology (UTIA)

The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is seeking to fill a safety and research coordinator. This position develops, coordinates and executes research activity for the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology with laboratory and field survey techniques to combat and protect the ecological systems from invasive or pathogen-carrying species (insects). Research supports questions on current populations of species throughout the southern region to determine viable responses and reasons for their establishment by gathering, analyzing, and disseminating species information through identifications and molecular analysis. This position trains graduate and undergraduate students in laboratory methods, mentors or supervises students as needed on their research student projects and may supervise technical research staff. The position often must engineer new trapping devises for different project objectives. This position will serve as a safety coordinator and trainer for the department. This position also serves as a bonded ethyl alcohol buyer and distributor for all UTIA campus purchases.


Qualifications :

Key Responsibilities:
  • Training safety, biological techniques, and testing procedures to part-time employees, undergraduates, graduate students, technical researchers and postdocs.
  • Plan, Design, Coordinate, and Execute Research activities with multiple faculty.
  • Detection, DNA isolation and identification of insects using morphological, physiological, biochemical and molecular methods.
  • Management of day-to-day functions of Medical/Veterinary Entomology and other insect labs.
  • Responsible for rearing and maintaining collections.
  • Responsible for planning, designing, and executing One Health Outreach projects related to public health, human, and structural pests, including but not limited to, stinging and other ants, bed bugs, cockroaches, ticks, and mosquitoes.
  • Safe Order, Control, and Distribution of Ethyl Alcohol for UTIA campus research labs
  • Liaison safety officer between the safety office and the department
  • Assisting with decommissioning and commissioning research labs
  • Develop Chemical Hygiene Plans and Standard Operating Procedures and train personnel
  • Maintain chemical and pesticide inventories for the department to UTK Environmental Health and Safety Department
Requirements:
  • BS in Life Science, Biology or Chemistry
  • 5 years of professional laboratory experience in the identification and maintenance of various insects
Required Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
  • Knowledge of BL1 and BL2 safety procedures, research techniques, and accurate data management
  • Knowledge of various safety procedures for field and lab (pesticide, chemical, biological, computer safety)
  • Ability to sort and identify specimens using appropriate dichotomous keys
  • Skilled with intermediate computer skills (Microsoft professional) and able to communicate on a professional level
  • Skilled with statistical analysis (SAS) computer programs
  • Required molecular, chemical and analytical skills to conduct research projects
  • Able to change research direction with limited faculty input
  • Able to research and identify new pathogens or arthropods when detected from field surveys or submissions
  • Broad knowledge of various DNA extraction methods and how to troubleshoot any related issues
Preferred Qualifications:
  • MS Entomology or other Life Sciences
  • 10 years of professional laboratory experience in the identification and maintenance of various insects
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
  • Able to work as a team and co-lead on research projects
  • Knowledge of other agricultural, structural and medical entomological fields as it may apply to new entomological specimens
  • Able to design new trapping equipment and problem solve when experiments are not yielding desired samples
  • Advanced knowledge of various techniques in microbiology and molecular biology
Position classification: Research Laboratory/Facility Management 2 MR 10, Regular Full Time, in-person on UT Knoxville Ag Campus.

For specific position questions, contact Dr. Rebecca Trout Fryxell rfryxell@utk.edu and Dr. Karen Vail kvail@utk.edu.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Knoxville , TN