New

Research Assistant

George Washington University

United States, D.C., Washington

Aug 27, 2025

I. DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Job Description Summary:	Founded in 1824, the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences ( SMHS) is the 11th oldest medical school in the country and the first in the nation's capital. Since its establishment, the school has been at the forefront of medical education, and has grown to include highly-ranked programs in the health and biomedical sciences. With dozens of top-tier residency programs, SMHS is a competitive and esteemed destination for medical school graduates across the country. Find out more here: http://smhs.gwu.edu/ The Lab is seeking an energetic, motivated Research Assistant to join our team in the Department of Anesthesiology. The main goal of the Polotsky Lab is to find novel treatments for cardiovascular and respiratory complications of obesity and sleep disordered breathing. Under the supervision of a faculty investigator, the individual will be responsible for assisting in the performance of routine tests and experiments in a controlled laboratory setting. The core responsibilities of this position include assisting with data collection, conducting mouse experimental procedures, and the administrative aspects of preparing manuscripts for publication. The individual will be responsible for maintaining the daily functions of the mouse sleep laboratory. The individual may be responsible for assisting with mouse colony management and genotyping in the laboratory. The Research Assistant will assist in research experiments including molecular biology, histology, and sleep recordings, and in data analyses, including data management and data presentation. This position may perform some general lab maintenance duties as a secondary function. This role typically works under immediate supervision, and the primary job functions do not require exercising independent judgment. Specific duties & responsibilities: Operates standard equipment, uses standard procedures for specific laboratory tests and preparation techniques. Responsible for laboratory maintenance, equipment maintenance, preparing solutions and media and inventory of supplies. Assists with rodent maintenance and generating mouse strains (breeding and genotyping of mice). Assists with daily animal care (health checks, daily logs, analgesia protocols). Assists with processing tissue for qPCR and PCR, histology immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, ELISA and other immunoassays. Assists in management of mouse sleep laboratory, including daily checks, keeping logs, technical maintenance of sleep set-up, managing supply inventory, keeping sleep schedule updated. Assists in the conduct of sleep studies to include analytical work - converting sleep studies, records of sleep studies. Assists in the identification of and reports problems in completion of routine lab experiments. Records keeping of sample information and results to guarantee quality of experimentation. Ensures laboratory efficiency by following set protocols for lab cleanliness, organization and safety regulations. Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the
Minimum Qualifications:	Qualified candidates will hold a BA/BS in a related discipline. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position.
Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
Hiring Range	$17.95 - $27.01
GW Staff Approach to Pay	How is pay for new employees determined at GW?

Healthcare Benefits

GW offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, life & disability insurance, time off & leave, retirement savings, tuition, well-being and various voluntary benefits. For program details and eligibility, please visit https://hr.gwu.edu/benefits-programs.

II. POSITION INFORMATION

Campus Location:	Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C.
College/School/Department:	School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS)
Family	Research and Labs
Sub-Family	Laboratory Research
Stream	Service and Support
Level	Level 2
Full-Time/Part-Time:	Full-Time
Hours Per Week:	40
Work Schedule:	Monday - Friday, 8:30 - 5:00
Will this job require the employee to work on site?	Yes
Employee Onsite Status	On-campus (in person)
Telework:	No
Required Background Check	Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search
Special Instructions to Applicants:	Employer will not sponsor for employment Visa status
Internal Applicants Only?	No
Posting Number:	R002314
Job Open Date:	08/26/2025
Job Close Date:
Background Screening	Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire.
EEO Statement:	The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.