Laboratory Assistant

Payroll Title LAB AST 1 Department ANESTHESIOLOGY Hiring Pay Scale $27.04
- $29.26 / Hour Worksite East Campus (La Jolla) Appointment Type Career Appointment Percent 100% Union TX Contract Total Openings 1 Work Schedule Days, 8-Hour Shifts, Monday-Friday #141960 Laboratory Assistant
- Anesthesiology
- Hybrid Filing Deadline: Fri 11/6/2026 Apply Now UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening, we strongly encourage you to apply. UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 10/28/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor. Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance. This position will work a hybrid schedule which includes a combination of working both onsite in La Jolla and remote. Description The Department of Anesthesiology employs over 200 Academic and Staff personnel and has an annual operating budget of $83 million in annualized resources (School of Medicine and Clinical Practice Organization (CPO) between Practice Plan revenues, VA Medical Center funding, Hospital and Medical Group funding, UC Foundation, Research sources and School of Medicine funds. There are over 85 Clinical faculty, 20 Ph.
D. faculty, 8 Post-Doctoral Scholars, 42 Residents, 8 Senior Clinical Fellows, 33 Certified Nurse Anesthetists, 1 Physician Assistant and five collective bargaining units represented. The Department provides Clinical Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Services in Hillcrest, Thornton Hospital, Shiley Eye Center, Rady Children's Hospital, Jacobs Medical Center and the VA Medical Center. The Department operates a Pain Clinic at Perlman. The Department's research programs include bench and clinical research programs located at the VA Medical Center, Medical Teaching Facility, Clinical Teaching Facility, Hillcrest, Thornton, Sanford Consortium of Regenerative Medicine facilities and the Altman Clinical and Translational Research Institute. The Department of Anesthesiology’s Brain Mechanisms of Pain and Health Laboratory is seeking a Lab Assistant to help collect data for ongoing studies examining the effects and mechanisms supporting psychedelics and mindfulness meditation on health. The Lab Assistant will assist with basic laboratory operations, organize, work with healthy and chronic pain patients assisting with psychophysical, brain imaging, and pharmacologic studies as directed. Assigned duties and responsibilities include routine laboratory maintenance, assisting with psychological and psychophysical methodologies. Lab Assistant will assist with adhering to IRB protocols, collect human data, and assist with behavioral interventions ensuring accurate collection of data. Minimum Qualifications
• Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and one year of laboratory experience or two years of college including courses in the natural, physical or social sciences; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Knowledge of psychology, neuroscience, human biology, and pre-medicine.
• Knowledge of safe human testing procedures (CITI training; experience with IRB).
• Ability to follow written and verbal directions.
• Knowledge of personal computer programs including word processing, basic computer coding, SPSS, Word, Excel, and Unix.
• Ability to adhere to established UCSD guidelines for safety and environmental issues.
• Must be able to work effectively with human volunteers and patients.
• Requires a thorough understanding of laboratory principles including knowledge of safe laboratory process and procedures. Familiarity with specimen processing, labeling, centrifugation, and sample storage according to biosafety and regulatory standards.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to establish trust and rapport with participants and respond with sensitivity and awareness to participant needs.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; able to maintain accurate documentations and records.
• Demonstrates the ability to assist with participant recruitment, including prescreening and scheduling.
• Experience with data collection, entry, or database management in REDCap or similar systems. Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with psychedelic research.
• Certified fMRI technician and/or experience working in an fMRI setting.
• Experience collecting or handling biological samples (e.g., blood, saliva, or urine) in compliance with CLIA, HIPAA, and institutional policies.
• Experience working with electroencephalogram (EEG). SPECIAL CONDITIONS
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.
• Must be willing to work with hazardous materials. Pay Transparency Act Annual Full Pay Range: $56,460
- $67,463 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%) Hourly Equivalent: $27.04
- $32.31 Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable). Apply Now If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements. If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable. UC San Diego Health Sciences is comprised of our School of Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and our Student Health and Well-Being Department. We have long been at the forefront of translational — or "bench-to-bedside" — research, transforming patient care through discovery and innovation leading to new drugs and technologies. Translational research is carried out every day in the hundreds of clinical trials of promising new therapies offered through UC San Diego Health, and in the drive of our researchers and clinician-scientists who are committed to having a significant impact on patient care. We invite you to join our team Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached. To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law. For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information. UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening. Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Abusive Conduct in the Workplace