A laboratory technician in biology with experience

About the job

Parasites and pests always end up resisting the treatments that fight them. Finding those of the next generation requires knowing early, and with certainty, which molecule acts and by what mechanism. This is our job: we design and carry out biological tests that allow our partners, in animal health, crop protection, the pharmaceutical industry, and academia, to decide which substances deserve to go further.

At Invenesis, this question arises at all scales: from the isolated receptor, expressed in a Xenopus oocyte, to the whole organism. We are about a dozen people in St-Blaise. A small team, where each person's contribution truly impacts the result.

Your mission

You will join the Electrophysiology and Molecular Biology team, where you will spend most of your time:

• preparing, selecting, and microinjecting Xenopus laevis oocytes;
• performing electrophysiological measurements (TEVC, HiClamp) on membrane receptors (for example: nAChR, GABA-A, voltage-gated sodium channels);
• conducting molecular biology activities: cloning, plasmid preparation, in vitro transcription;
• preparing solutions and rigorously documenting each experiment.

Because we are a small team, you will also support phenotypic screening and compound logistics in BSL2: receiving, weighing, and dissolving compounds to be tested, preparing plates, maintaining parasite and arthropod cultures, participating in assays. This part varies from week to week, filling the gaps in the electrophysiology platform by absorbing screening peaks and vice versa.

Our parasite colonies do not stop on Friday evening; the position includes an on-call duty and some weekend or public holiday interventions, organised in advance and shared within the team.

What we are looking for

• a CFC (Federal Certificate of Competence) as a biology laboratory technician, or equivalent training;
• rigour and precision: our results must be reproducible;
• dexterity and patience; aptitude and willingness to work with living material: oocytes, parasites, arthropods;
• versatility and flexibility to switch from one activity to another according to priorities;
• ease working in a team;
• French, and a sufficient level of English to read a protocol or technical sheet;
• availability to cover on-call duty and weekend interventions related to the cultures.

Electrophysiology is not required: we provide internal training, and this is one of the attractions of the position. Experience in molecular biology is highly desirable, while working in a regulated environment (GLP) is a plus.

What we offer

• a position that covers the entire experimental chain, from plasmid to parasite;
• comprehensive training in electrophysiology and work in BSL2 containment;
• a team of about a dozen people, where what you do is visible and matters;
• modern and well-equipped laboratories;
• St-Blaise, ten minutes from Neuchâtel, by the lake.

Apply

Interested? Send us your CV, a cover letter, your diplomas, and work certificates.

We acknowledge receipt of every application and respond to all candidates. Any questions before applying? Write to us, we will gladly reply.