Technical Associate Expectations

This complements the common and other guidelines. Suggestions and input are welcome.

What I expect from you

• You will help the lab to make research progress.
• Communicate regularly with the various lab members to see who needs help with their project.
• Begin reading the scientific literature—read the papers I suggest, and work toward proactively making yourself aware of the literature.
• Learn how to plan your experiments. Make sure your experiments address the question of interest correctly—this includes learning how to do the appropriate controls, techniques, etc.
• Learn how to effectively plan and multi-task to prevent downtimes. Develop plans with short/medium/long-term goals.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing that shared jobs are done
• All aspects of lab safety (chemical, biological, bloodborne pathogens)
• Ordering and inventory
  • Regularly check stocks and keep lab supplies organized
  • Maintain electronic inventories (chem and supply)
  • Place weekly orders
• Making sure that protocols are kept up to date
• Scheduling equipment maintenance (together with the graduate student/post doc who is in charge of that equipment)
• Reporting anything to me that needs my attention (lab conflict, equipment problem, etc)
• As a research specialist, it is expected that you will take a leading role in training new lab personnel – to many people, you will be the ‘go to’ person to field questions. If you are not the best person to help with a particular question, please help them find the right person in the lab.

Adapted from documents by Pam Kreeger.