Flow Cytometry Core Director - Office of Research Innovation and Economic Development - UTK

This position manages the Flow Cytometry core facility, which operates as a multi-user instrumentation center. This position provides expert advice, technical leadership, research services, and hands-on training for all the users of the facility. The position requires a high degree of independent judgment and the ability to plan, design, and conduct experiments, as well as collect, analyze, and interpret research data, identifying areas of concern, and recognizing and resolving problems using expertise in Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting. This position manages the operation, maintenance, and repair of all instruments within the Flow Cytometry Core. This position prepares scientific reports and documents summarizing analytical results, prepares reports, rate proposals, and cost summaries, as well as manages core scheduling and billing in coordination with the Core Facilities Program business manager. This position collaborates with internal and external users of the facility on research project development, grant applications, research publications, and data generation and interpretation. This position participates in long-range and strategic planning for the Flow Cytometry core.

Core Facility Management

• Operates facility instrumentation.
• Oversees routine maintenance of facility instrumentation, diagnostics, and repairs or schedules repair as needed. Notifies users of planned or emergency equipment outages.
• Manages lab supplies inventory and order requests, and provides scientific justification as needed for NCJs and contracts.
• Ensures accurate billing of users utilizing the Stratocore billing site by processing quotes and orders and managing bookings.
• Creates and monitors annual budget for the facility. Responsible for the preparation of budgetary requests in the event of shortfall.
• Responsible for the development of user rates in coordination with the CFP business manager as required by the Office of Budget & Finance.
• Participates in long-term and strategic planning for facility growth and sustainability.
• Works either with others or independently to prepare materials for both internal & external grant submissions.
• Researches new protocols to maintain current techniques at the most efficient rates.
• Prepares annual report to UT Core Facilities Program, detailing operational performance at the end of each fiscal year.
• Develops and implements all safety protocols.

User Support

• Collaborates with researchers in developing plans for research projects and makes recommendations & contributions in Flow Cytometry area of expertise.
• Plans, develops, and implements specialized techniques and analytical procedures using a high degree of independent judgment.
• Instructs and trains users on new and existing capabilities and techniques, and certifies new users have successfully completed training on specific research instruments.
• Supervises use of instrumentation.
• Analyzes and interprets data, identifies areas of concern, and resolves problems using expertise for better results on user projects.
• Modifies protocols and troubleshoots for users’ specific needs.

Additional duties

• Maintains working knowledge of current and upcoming techniques and technologies in Flow Cytometry to ensure users are provided with the most up-to-date support & recommends appropriate upgrades to the existing research instrumentation.
• Markets facility capabilities through interactions with potential users through attendance of relevant conferences or meetings, and presentations in relevant departments and classes both at UT and other colleges and universities.
• Provides tours of the Flow Cytometry Core to diverse groups including UTK Board of Trustees, the National Alumni Board, graduate student recruiting visits by UT departments, undergraduate classes, new faculty hires/candidates from various departments and local high school science classes.
• Initiates requests for core website updates, including providing content to the communications staff.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Master’s Degree in Science or Engineering
• Experience: Two years experience in flow cytometry
• Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
  • Instrument maintenance and operation, ordering of supplies, accurate record keeping, and monthly invoicing.
  • Oral and written communication skills
  • Electronics and basic mechanics needed for instrument maintenance and trouble-shooting
  • Knowledge of operating a laboratory with Flow Cytometry instruments
  • Ability to develop, implement, and follow Standard Operating Protocols (SOP).
  • Knowledge of laboratory safety procedures and best practices
  • Knowledge and skills to manage a budget and multi-user facility

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.

Preferred Qualifications

• Education/Experience: Doctoral Degree with experience in flow cytometry
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Detailed knowledge of Flow Cytometry instruments such as a flow sorter, flow analyzer.
  • Experience in designing Flow Cytometry experiments
  • Experience in analyzing/publishing Flow Cytometry data
  • Experience in working with/teaching graduate and undergraduate students.

Work Location

• Location: Knoxville, TN

Compensation and Benefits

UT market range: MR12

Anticipated hiring range: $85,000-$88,000/year

• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions

To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments.

• Resume
• Cover Letter

About The College/Department/Division

Here at the University of Tennessee, thousands of world-class faculty, staff, students and postdoctoral fellows are engaged in research, scholarship and creative work on a daily basis. With a shared commitment to creating a more just, prosperous, and sustainable world for the citizens of Tennessee and communities far beyond, the UT community is creating new knowledge and generating solutions to some of the most challenging issues of our time.

The Office of Research, Innovation & Economic Development is here to support you, our community of researchers, scholars and creatives, from ideation to impact. Our dedicated team is here to help you develop competitive proposals and sources of support for your work, seed investments in promising new areas, nurture new and established multidisciplinary communities of scholars and support and sustain a strong culture of research integrity.

The university’s strategic relationships with corporate, venture, community, non-profit and government partners help extend the impact of our community’s work across the state and around the world. In collaboration with these partners, we are working to establish Tennessee as a go-to destination for cutting-edge research, innovation and a skilled workforce.

We understand that a creative, productive, and empowered community of researchers, scholars, and creatives is critical to the university’s future as a world-renowned research institution.