Senior Insectary and Transgenesis Research Technician

at  Imperial College London

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Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
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ABOUT THE ROLE

Transmission Zero (https://www.transmissionzero.org/), an international research programme with the mission to pioneer innovative genetic vector control tools for combatting malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, is seeking to recruit highly motivated, ambitious, self-driven, and skilled individuals to join our team as Senior Research Technicians. Successful candidates will play a crucial role in the discovery, development, and validation of CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive systems aimed at modifying vector populations. These modifications are strategically designed to introduce transgenes that inhibit malaria transmission in wild Anopheles mosquito populations across Africa, aligning with global efforts to eliminate malaria.
Transmission Zero involves international partners and during its seven years of operation, the programme has already achieved several important milestones, including the creation of Africa’s first genetically modified mosquito for vector population modification using gene drives. Over the next three years, our primary objectives include expanding our portfolio of gene drives and antimalarial effectors, refining existing tools, and progressing toward gene drive field trials.
You will focus on ensuring the professional conduct of a major aspect of our research which is the husbandry and manipulation of the mosquito vector Anopheles.

WHAT YOU WOULD BE DOING

You will be responsible for rearing wild type and transgenic lines of Anopheles mosquitoes and the generation of novel transgenic mosquito strains. You will perform a variety of molecular biology techniques including cloning, sample processing, nucleic acid extraction, PCR, next-generation sequencing (NGS), qPCR, RT-PCR, and provide expertise in transgenesis construct design and the preparation of injection-grade DNA.
You will manage the day-to-day operations of the insectary and ensure good lab practice is in place and be responsible for general laboratory housekeeping to ensure sufficient resources are maintained by monitoring and ordering reagents and consumables for the insectary.
You will be responsible for equipment maintenance, servicing and calibration of micromanipulators, microscopes, pumps, needle pullers and microinjectors, as well as implementing and maintaining project coordination systems (i.e. mosquitoes booking, strain database, microinjection booking, microscopes booking, cleaning rota, etc.).
You will actively train and assist postdocs, research assistant and PhD students in the use of micromanipulator, microinjector and fluorescent microscope, and organise training (induction) for staff, students and visiting researchers. You will also take responsibility for organising, compiling, and reviewing Standard Operating procedures (SOPs), insectary Code of Practice (COP) and participate in the writing for the risk assessments.