Research Assistant-Burclaff Lab

The Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at the NC State CVM trains veterinarians, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows in research-based careers focused on discovering new information about animal and human health and disease and using those findings to enhance animal and human health and wellbeing.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

We are seeking a proactive and curious Research Specialist to play an integral role in driving our science forward. Working in close collaboration with the Principal Investigator, you won’t just execute protocols- you will understand the why behind our research, actively contribute to novel experimental strategies, and help turn raw data into high-impact publications and grant proposals. This is an ideal role for an ambitious scientist looking to expand their technical toolkit, master cutting-edge biological models, and gain meaningful credentials for future graduate, medical, or biotechnology careers.

What You’ll Do

• Advance High-Dimensional Stem Cell Models: Master and maintain cutting-edge primary cell cultures, human intestinal organoids, and established cell lines using advanced aseptic techniques.
• Drive In Vivo Research & Colony Operations: Manage mouse colony logistics- from breeding strategies and genotyping to tissue collection and key experimental procedures.
• Execute Molecular & Imaging Discovery: Perform vital translational assays, including DNA/RNA/protein extractions, RT-qPCR, tissue sectioning, immunofluorescence/IHC staining, and live-cell imaging analysis.
• Contribute to Scientific Publishing: Actively assist in compiling research data, drafting documents, and co-authoring manuscripts, research reports, grant applications, and conference presentations.
• Power Daily Lab Operations: Keep the lab running seamlessly by maintaining critical instrumentation, managing inventory, and ensuring a safe, compliant environment.

What Makes This Role Unique

• Direct Scientific Mentorship: Work directly with the PI in a collaborative, supportive environment where your career goals and intellectual curiosity are actively nurtured.
• In-Demand Technical Expertise: Gain rare, hands-on experience with human organoids, genetic modification, and advanced imaging platforms.
• Authorship & Career Growth: Active involvement in manuscript preparation offers real opportunities for publication credit and scientific visibility.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Relevant Master’s Degree, or relevant bachelors and 3 or more years of relevant experience, or relevant independent experience and education.

Other Required Qualifications

• Experience in mammalian primary cell culture (establishment and maintenance)
• Experience in molecular biology and biochemistry techniques (PCR; RT-qPCR; gel electrophoresis, DNA, RNA, and protein extraction; immunofluorescence; immunohistochemistry)
• Experience in mouse colony management (animal handling, breeding, weaning, genotyping, etc) and in vivo experimentation

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior research experience
• Ability to work with animals
• Strong computer skills and ability to use highly specialized laboratory equipment with troubleshooting abilities

Required License(s) or Certification(s): N/A

Valid NC Driver’s License required: No

Commercial Driver’s License required: No

Job Open Date: 10/16/2026

Anticipated Close Date: 10/29/2026; if posting is still active we are accepting and reviewing applications.

Special Instructions to Applicants: Please attach a Cover Letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Position Number: 00112294

Position Type: EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week): 1.0

Appointment: 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather: Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events: Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID: 194001 - Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences

EEO: NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Organization

NC State: Think and Do

NC State was founded with a purpose: to create economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina and the country. We began as a land-grant institution teaching the agricultural and mechanical arts. Today, we're a pre-eminent research enterprise with 12 colleges excelling in all major academic fields.

Our 34,000 high-performing students take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in the real world by conducting research, working in internships and co-ops, and performing acts of world-changing service. That experiential education ensures that they leave here ready to lead the workforce. NC State's 13:1 student-faculty ratio is one of the reasons why we're the best college for your money in North Carolina (Money) and the No. 5 best value among public universities nationally (U.S. News & World Report).

Overcoming Challenges, Improving Lives

NC State is one of only two universities in the nation leading two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers — one developing wearable, self-powered health monitors, and the other researching smart-grid technology. We’re also leading interdisciplinary efforts to curb nuclear proliferation, help farmers confront climate change and build a new American manufacturing sector.

Our research doesn't just get published in a journal or sit on a shelf; it makes an impact. NC State is No. 6 nationwide in commercialization agreements based on university research, and we're No. 2 among universities without a medical school. Our Cooperative Extension Service provides research-based information to citizens in all 100 North Carolina counties. In addition, our industrial extension unit — Industry Expansion Solutions — has created an economic benefit for the state's manufacturers averaging $149 million per year since 2005.

Bright Minds Creating a Bold Future

NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. NC State students won two Goldwater scholarships, five Fulbright scholarships, one Churchill scholarship and a record-breaking 25 National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships in the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, 25 faculty are members of the National Academies.

Our Centennial Campus, an award-winning public-private research campus, is home to more than 70 partner organizations working alongside more than 70 NC State research and academic units. Centennial is also the location of the innovative Hunt Library, which Time magazine has dubbed “the library of the future.”

In Raleigh and Around the World

It all happens in one of the best cities in America. A top spot for job-seekers and tech professionals, Raleigh is nationally recognized as a leading urban center:

• No. 2 hot spot for tech jobs (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 3 best city for young professionals (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 4 best city for jobs (Glassdoor.com, 2017)
• No. 4 best place to live (U.S. News & World Report, 2016)
• Best big city in the Southeast (Time, 2016)
• Selected as a Google Fiber expansion city

With Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh anchors the Research Triangle, a national hotspot for high-tech enterprise. The top companies in the region — including IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, Biogen Idec and GlaxoSmithKline — are among the country’s best employers. They also lead the way in hiring new NC State graduates.

More than 130 years after its creation, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality. Every day, our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning and discovery available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.