Psychology Department - Special Research Lab Assistant

About the Role:
Application Deadline: December 31,2024
Seasonal Role (Application dates): Dec 23-31, 2024
Estimated Salary: $17.50 per hour 
Location type: On-site

Job Description:

Must be a current Chico State Psychological Science MA graduate student in good academic standing. Under minimal supervision of a Psychology Department faculty member, the student employee performs various tasks to assist the faculty member with various lab related activities. These activities will include reading relevant scientific articles, running mouse experiments, entering data into statistical software, reporting the data to the faculty member and the laboratory, and presenting the data at conferences. Additionally, there is an opportunity for students to be authors on manuscripts that feature data from this work. The student will also manage other lab students, and ensure that they submit their data in a timely manner. These tasks will typically require considerable on-the-job training and specialized skills. While instructions will be provided to complete the tasks, they will often require considerable discretion in judgment, decision-making, and interpretation. These activities will assist the student in developing their critical thinking skills by teaching them how to contemplate complex problems in psychology and neuroscience. Developing critical thinking skills will be pivotal to the student's success in their future career path.

Additionally, the student employee will provide routine care for their current experimental mice, and other laboratory mice, as well as strictly maintaining the cleanliness of the laboratory. This will be crucial for the success of their experiment. Duties will typically include running experiments, and collecting data, then reporting this to the faculty member. In regards to caring for mice, duties during each shift include, minimally: inspecting the mice and alerting the Principal Investigator if any problems are present, ensuring each mouse cage has a sufficient supply of food and water, checking to see that cages and bedding are dry, monitoring health of each mouse in a cage, sweeping and mopping the colony room floor, and maintaining the general tidiness of the lab. Also, technicians will monitor for pregnancies in breeder mice, and separate the females. Subsequently, they will monitor to see if pregnant mice have delivered, and will note the date. Lastly, the student employee will fill out the daily weight and feeding chart. Duties will be performed in the Psychology Department mouse colony.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must be a current Chico State Psychological Science MA graduate student in good academic standing. The employee must be able to physically and mentally perform the job functions. Also, the employee should be incredibly responsible and meticulous. The employee must also be able to work weekends, holidays, and University breaks. Exceptions to the minimum eligibility qualifications may be granted at the sole discretion of the University.

Selection Procedure:

Candidates will be selected and notified by email based on an evaluation of information obtained from the following sources:
• Completed application • Unofficial transcripts • Schedule Availability • Possible Interview

 To apply, Step 1 is to submit your application through Handshake. You will be contacted to provide additional information if you are selected to move forward in the hiring process. After candidates have been selected for the positions, all applicants will be notified by email.
 

All work must be performed within the State of California.
 

Compliance training completion (approx. 4 hours of work time) is required of this position within the first 30 days of work.
 

The person holding this position may be considered a ‘mandated reporter’ under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.
 

The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status.