Job Description:

The goal of the internship is to give an undergraduate student exposure to a small laboratory where they will experience all aspects of the workflow of arbovirus surveillance. The intern will work with the lab manager to perform RNA extractions and RT-PCR on mosquito pools, along with the accompanying surveillance analysis, for West Nile virus (WNV), Western Equine encephalitis (WEE) and St. Louis encephalitis (SLE).  Under the direction of the lab manager, the intern will assist in all lab operations, including but not limited to mosquito surveillance, real-time PCR of mosquito pools, pesticide resistance testing, record keeping, and data analysis.

Basic Duties:

• Assist in the identification and cataloging of mosquito trap collections.
• Assist in running the lab as required.
• Assist in preparing mosquito pools for RNA extraction.
• Assist in running real-time PCR.
• Help maintain accurate records.

Qualifications:

Applicants should be a current undergraduate student working on completing their degree in a biological field or related field. With a desire to improve on their laboratory skills and gain practical experience. Along with having the following qualifications:

• Have a valid Utah driver’s license.
• Obtain a non-commercial pesticide applicators license from the Utah Department of Agriculture.
• Current knowledge of laboratory procedures.
• Good communication skills.

Job Duration:

Early May through August, 40 hours/week, Monday to Friday, 6 am to 2 pm.

Work Environment:

This role requires you to be able to work in both the lab and field environments, you may be standing or siting for an extended period. This role uses regular office and lab equipment, including computers, microscopes, and pipettes.

Internship Application:

Please download and complete the job application and email it to ghatch@davismosquito.org.