Research Assistant II

Research Assistant III | Human Engineered Heart Tissue Platform, Cardioverse (ARPA-H) Hinson Lab Farmington, CT

The Hinson lab at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and UConn Health is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented Research Assistant III to join our team on the ARPA-H Cardioverse program. Cardioverse aims to build digital twins of the human heart that predict drug safety and efficacy. Our role is to generate large-scale, high-quality experimental data from human engineered heart tissues (EHTs) made from iPSC lines that capture human genetic diversity. These data will train and validate predictive computational models. You will work in a collaborative, milestone-driven team that combines stem cell biology, tissue engineering, cardiac physiology, genome editing, and multi-omics.

Responsibilities

• Culture, differentiate, and quality-control iPSC lines from genetically diverse donors, and generate iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) at scale.
• Fabricate 3D EHTs and microtissues in multiwell formats, following standardized protocols to ensure reproducibility across lines, batches, and operators.
• Perform functional assays on EHTs, including contractile force, kinetics, and calcium handling, and test compounds in dose-response studies for drug safety and efficacy.
• Prepare samples for multi-omic profiling (for example, RNA-seq and single-cell assays) and imaging.
• Document experiments in detail, including metadata, line identifiers, and batch information, and follow data management practices that support computational modeling.
• Process and organize data, apply quality-control criteria, and work closely with computational collaborators who build the digital twin models.
• Support genome editing of iPSC lines and, as needed, in vivo mouse studies that validate findings from the human tissue platform.
• Maintain laboratory supplies, equipment, and protocols, and help train new lab members.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, biomedical science, bioengineering, or a related field with [3+] years of relevant laboratory experience, or a Master’s degree with [1+] years.
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture; iPSC culture and differentiation experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with cardiomyocytes, tissue engineering, or physiological assays such as contractility or calcium imaging is a plus.
• Comfort with high-throughput, multiwell workflows and meticulous record keeping.
• Experience with pharmacology or compound screening is a plus.
• Basic data analysis skills (Excel, Prism; R or Python a plus).
• Strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work independently and in a team with tight timelines and defined deliverables.

Pay Range: $42,751 - $71,575, pay is determined by years of experience

About JAX

The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with a National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and nearly 3,000 employees in locations across the United States (Maine, Connecticut, California, New York, Florida), Japan and China. Its mission is to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health. Founded in 1929, JAX applies over nine decades of expertise in genetics to increase understanding of human disease, advancing treatments and cures for cancer, neurological and immune disorders, diabetes, aging and heart disease. It models and interprets genomic complexity, integrates basic research with clinical application, educates current and future scientists, and provides critical data, tools and services to the global biomedical community. For more information, please visit

EEO Statement: The Jackson Laboratory provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental disability, physical disability, medical condition, gender, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, veteran status, and other classifications protected by applicable state and local non-discrimination laws.

Location Highlights

Bar Harbor: The Jackson Laboratory's 43-acre scenic Bar Harbor campus is nestled between the Gulf of Maine and the mountains of Acadia National Park. Some of the best hiking and biking in the world (over 50 square miles of mountains, lakes, views, and dramatic coastline) is accessible from our campus. We are one mile from downtown Bar Harbor, which offers a vibrant downtown district with a plethora of restaurants, shops, museums, and galleries.

Ellsworth: The Charles E. Hewett Center in Ellsworth, Maine, is a state-of-the-art facility that serves researchers worldwide. The facility represents the culmination of nine decades of unmatched experience and leadership in breeding and caring for laboratory mice. Ellsworth, Maine, is one of Maine’s fastest growing cities. With a growth rate of nearly 20%, Ellsworth is a bustling year-round community and acts as a hub for surrounding towns. It is located nearby Acadia National Park and hosts numerous special events, concerts and festivals each year. Residents have access to fabulous shopping, recreation, museums, galleries, and dining at a variety of independent restaurants.

Farmington: JAX Genomic Medicine is transforming medicine by improving patient care, lowering costs, and increasing life span and health span. JAX Genomic Medicine’s research focuses on the complex genetic causes of disease and on the development of genomic solutions tailored to each person's unique genetic makeup. JAX Genomic Medicine sits on a 17-acre site on the campus of the University of Connecticut Health Center. The 183,500-square-foot facility opened in the fall of 2014. Now, it houses over 300 biomedical researchers, technicians, and support staff in state-of-the-art computing facilities and laboratories. In Connecticut, JAX resides in the scenic town of Farmington, in the state’s capitol region. The Hartford region, which offers some of the best public schools in the country, is made up of both bigger cities and smaller, charming historic New England towns. JAX Genomic Medicine is also geographically located within 2 hours of Boston and New York and is close to multiple transportation systems, including bus lines, highways, railroads and international airports.

Sacramento: The JAX Mice, Clinical and Research Services facility is located in Sacramento, the state capital of California. Sacramento is less than a two-hour drive from San Francisco, Napa Valley, and scenic Lake Tahoe, and a short flight to both Los Angeles and Orange County. Sacramento is the birthplace of the nation’s Farm to Fork movement, and offers excellent restaurants, gastro-pubs, wineries, theaters, and museums. Outdoor activities are plentiful: Boating, white water rafting, and riding the scenic bicycle trails are popular. Housing and other costs of living are more affordable in Sacramento and its surrounding suburbs than in most other neighboring areas in the North Bay, making Sacramento one of the hottest housing markets in the country year after year.

Augusta: JAX’s Maine Cancer Genomics Initiative (MCGI) is located in Augusta, Maine, in the Harold Alfond Center for Cancer Care (HACCC), at Maine General Hospital. It began operations in 2016 with three overarching goals: to provide cancer genomic testing for Maine cancer patients; to develop and deliver physician education about clinical genomic cancer diagnostics; and to build a network in Maine of oncology practices conducting studies in genomic medicine.