Laboratory Coordinator for the Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Systematics

The Faculty of Bio and Environmental Sciences forms Finland's most visible and broadest bio- and environmental science research and teaching entity. The faculty trains experts for the needs of universities, research institutes, state administration and the school and business world. The faculty has three research programs: Ecosystems and environment research program, Organism and evolutionary biology research program and Molecular and integrative biosciences research program. https://www.helsinki.fi/en/faculty-of-biological-and-environmental-sciences

The Faculty of Bio and Environmental Sciences is looking for

a Laboratory Coordinator for the Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Systematics

The permanent position is filled full-time starting from 1.2.2025 or by mutual agreement.

Job description

The Laboratory of Molecular Ecology and Systematics (MES) is a shared research facility (core facility) at the Viikki campus, maintained by the Faculty of Bio and Environmental Sciences of the University of Helsinki, which focuses on molecular biology research of natural populations of non-model organisms. The MES laboratory is a shared laboratory, and most of the research groups that use it work in the Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Program of the faculty. Capacity allowing, its services are also available to all research groups operating at Viikki campus as well as to external users. A dozen research groups are actively working in the MES laboratory, and in addition, its equipment is used by a large number of other researchers of the faculty.

MES laboratory is specially designed for studying molecular variation in a high throughput manner using state of the art approaches with a view to better understanding ecological and evolutionary processes. MES laboratory offers facilities and equipment for multiple research groups for ’omics-related methodologies and analyses including: large scale DNA, RNA and protein extraction and quality assessment, library´ preparation for genome, transcriptome and structural genetic (e.g. ATACseq) sequencing and gene expression analyses (qPCR, transcriptomics including single-cell RNAseq).

The laboratory coordinator is responsible for the maintenance and coordination of the laboratory's functions, the development and upgrading according to the needs of its users, as well as the safety of the laboratory, and acts as a supervisior for some of the technical staff working in the research program.

Coordination includes, for instance,

• Knowledge of the equipment and analysis software and keeping it up-to-date,
• Contacts with authorities (e.g. GMO permits)
• Administrative responsibility of the laboratory, including invoicing
• Negotiation of services offered to research groups outside the faculty

The coordinating tasks also includes introducing new employees to the laboratory and guiding the use of equipment and software. The coordinator also offers, when possibile, technical support for the MES laboratory users in the techniques in use. The coordinator is responsible for the operations of the MES laboratory, in cooperation with the head of the laboratory.

Qualification and experience

The coordinator is expected to have good knowledge and experience in the operation of a molecular biology laboratory, ability to organize the operation of a shared laboratory, good interaction skills, and interest and initiative in developing the methods used in the laboratory. Completed university degrees are considered an advantage when selecting a coordinator. The working environment at the Viikki campus is international and good English language skills are essential for the coordinator's job and proficiency is Finnish is considered an advantage.

Salary and employment

The salary for the position is determined according to the demand level of other staff in the universities' salary system. The requirement level of the laboratory coordinator is 7-8. In addition to the task-specific salary component, a salary component based on personal performance is paid. The position has a six-month trial period. Applicants are asked to submit their application as a single pdf file, which contains the contact information of at least two recommenders in addition to the curriculum vitae.

The application period ends on 13.12.2024. For more information about the task, please contact the supervisor of the MES laboratory, Perttu Seppä (perttu.seppa@helsinki.fi)