Faculty Research Assistant: State Fisheries Genomics Lab in Newport

Department

Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station

Special Instructions to Applicants

• A resume/CV; and
• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For Additional Information Please Contact

Christy Deykes

deykesc@oregonstate.edu

Job Summary

State Fisheries Genomics Lab (SFGL) located at Oregon State University's (OSU) Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) in Newport, Oregon invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term Faculty Research Assistant position. Reappointment is at the discretion of the Department Head.

State Fisheries Genomics Lab (SFGL) located at Oregon State University's (OSU) Hatfield Marine Science Center (HMSC) in Newport, Oregon

The incumbent will work with a team of researchers in the SFGL to address the science and management needs of OSU's Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES) and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The SFGL provides leadership in the production of genetic/genomic data, the development of science-based tools and information from those data, and the formulation of science-based recommendations based on genetic/genomic information. Research focuses on marine, anadromous, and freshwater species.

Primary responsibilities include providing leadership in research, maintaining an efficient and productive laboratory, archiving tissue samples and associated metadata, training students in genetic and genomic techniques, and working collaboratively with Oregon State University's Center for Quantitative Life Sciences (CQLS), as well as the University of Oregon's Genomics and Cell Characterization Core Facility (GC3F).

As a member of COMES, the incumbent will be expected to work closely with coastal communities and federal, state, and private organizations in support of the COMES mission "to understand, utilize, and sustain marine resources and coastal ecosystems in order to benefit the citizens of Oregon, the Pacific Northwest, the Nation, and the World." The candidate will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

This position will contribute to programs ensuring that all people have equal employment opportunities and equal program participation opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or veteran's status.

Key Responsibilities

• Sample processing and data analysis
• Administrative duties and laboratory management
• General data management
• Student training and mentoring
• Outreach Service
• Team production of genetic/genomic data
• Maintaining an efficient and productive laboratory

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in biology, genetics, or related field.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques including DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction, electrophoresis, primer design, DNA sequencing, and microsatellite analysis.
• Familiarity with the collection, organization, and statistical analysis of data.
• Excellent communication skills and competency to work independently as well as collaboratively.
• High attention to detail, organization, and record keeping.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver's license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in biology, genetics, or related field.
• Strong background in genetics with at least two years of experience working in a molecular genetics laboratory.
• Experience with a variety of sequencing methodologies including genotyping-in-thousands by sequencing (GT-seq), genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS), and restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq).
• Experience conducting genetic parentage analysis and with associated programs (e.g., Cervus, COLONY, etc.).
• Experience conducting population genetic analyses and with associated programs (e.g., STRUCTURE, ONCOR, Rubias, etc.).
• A background in bioinformatics and experience programming (e.g., R, Perl, Python, etc.).
• Experience with high-performance computing clusters, software, and workload management systems (e.g., Linux, SLURM, SGE, etc.).
• A strong background in statistical analyses including generalized linear mixed models (GLMM).
• Experience writing scientific documents, such as technical reports and peer-reviewed papers.

Working Conditions/Schedule

• May be required to lift, carry, push, and pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time

Salary Range

Salary is commensurate with skills, education and experience.

Anticipated Start Date

2026-12-01

Anticipated End Date

2027-06-30

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system.

If this position has "critical or security-sensitive" responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job‑related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate.

Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU's Employee and Labor Relations team at employee.relations@oregonstate.edu.