Careers at Virginia Tech

The Covid Lab Technician role will work in a biomedical laboratory level 2 environment, participation in various lab functions in handling potentially infectious samples in biosafety hood such as; initial sample preparation and data logging, articulate pipetting reagents and handling samples in various formats, RNA involves purification of inactivated viral RNA and analysis of viral RNA by quantitative PCR analysis, management of neutralized samples, transfer into neutralizing buffer, PCR part of this project utilizes an Eppendorf liquid handling system to populate 384 well plates with RT and qPCR reagents to be processed in a Biorad 384 qPCR instrument.
This testing support the State of Virginia Health Departments, particularly serving Roanoke, Blacksburg and communities throughout the New River Valley.
Duties include:
• Responsible for laboratory operations and their relationship to the organization sufficient enough to solve testing, quality, or customer service problems with efficiency and meeting CLIA standards.
• May lead project completion by assisting project team and attending and leading and/or participating in group and project meetings.
• Ability to develop, interpret, and apply complex written instructions.
• Identify, define, and resolve issues with data or workflow or controversial aspects of the testing where no direct precedent exists.
• Perform validations of new methods to determine accuracy, precision, sensitivity, specificity, normal ranges, and interfering substances.
• Support qPCR research activities to identify viral load in inactivated patient samples
• Ability to use independent technical judgment to analyze and interpret laboratory results.
• Ability to collaborate by clear communication and interaction with various leaders in the lab, research team and institution.
• Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities and reading technical publications.

Considerable (2years+) experience working in a biosafety level 2 laboratory and handling of potentially infectious samples.
• qPCR experience required to work on qPCR samples.
• Lead training and work experience in a biosafety level 2 laboratory and meticulous attention to detail are essential.
• Excellent communication and organization, must be detail oriented, and capable of working independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to interact respectfully and comfortably with all individuals in a diverse, multicultural environment exercising judgment and high degree of confidentiality.

• Experience with clinical diagnosis
• Demonstrated experience manipulating nucleic acids
• Experience in a BioSafety Level 2 Lab

4

Restricted

Commensurate with experience

June 21, 2023

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.