Lab Assistant

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT – LAB ASSISTANT

The University of North Carolina in Vietnam is a research organization of the University of North Carlina at Chapel Hill, USA. Our missions are conducting clinical research of new treatment methods for HIV prevention, TB treatment, mental health in both treatment and behavior changes for people living with HIV, TB patients, men who have sex with men and people who inject drug. Our partners are Hanoi Medical University, Hospitals in Hanoi, Provincial CDCs nationwide. We are conducting clinical trials of HIV/AIDS Prevention Trial Network (HPTN) and AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG).

We have been conducting HPTN 083, a clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the injectable agent, cabotegravir (CAB LA), for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in HIV-uninfected cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (MSM and TGW). This study is conducted by The University of North Carolina (UNC), Hanoi Medical University in a cooperation with the 198 Hospital for 6 years.

In addition to the HPTN 083 study, we are currently one of the research sites selected for a new clinical trial which is a study looking at hepatitis B vaccination in adults living with HIV. The study will involve individuals who have received a previous hepatitis B vaccination, but the vaccine did not respond well and individuals who have never received the vaccination. The study will compare how well an individual responds to the vaccine in different groups based on the type of vaccine and number of doses.

We are also preparing for TB treatment clinical trials to test a new TB regimen for MDR-TB patients and their Household Contacts.

We are now seeking a talented, dedicated and committed individual to join our team with the position of Lab Assistant working at UNC’s project sites in Hanoi.

Position:         Lab Assistant
                       Full-time, based in Hanoi
Report to:       Lab Manager

Position Summary:

The incumbent of this position is responsible for assisting the UNC Lab Officer and Lab Manager in preparation phase prior site activation and implementation phase of the clinical studies being conducted by UNC. This position will support UNC Lab Manager in facilitating and monitoring all specimen collection, processing, testing, storage, and transportation activities in the study to assure quality of these laboratory as the study requirements.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Primary duties and responsibilities for the incumbent of this position may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting Laboratory Officers and Laboratory Manager in all preparation activities of the study related laboratories.
• Assisting the Laboratory Officers in execution of all preventive maintenance, calibration, and repairs for all laboratory equipment at on-site laboratory.
• Assisting the Laboratory Officers in importation/ exportation of the study samples from/to abroad.
• Taking responsibility for filling all required documents of the studies in soft copy on server and in paper. Assisting Laboratory Officers and Laboratory Manager in document preparation before and during lab audit or site inspection.
• Facilitating day-to-day activities of technicians at the on-site laboratory.
• Receiving and doing inventory of all consumable materials, test kits and equipment for the on-site laboratory regularly.
• Reporting lab activities to the Laboratory Manager monthly and ad-hoc if required.
• Translating study documents (English – Vietnamese - English).
• Participating in other clinical trials if required.
• Performing other tasks as requested by Lab Manager, and In-Country Director.

Required qualification and skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in biotechnology or laboratory sciences or chemical engineering or relevant fields.
• Experience in clinical laboratory is preferred
• Good communication skill, teamwork skill, problem-solving skill.
• Ability and enthusiasm to learn new areas and willingness to contribute to a dynamic team
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in both Vietnamese and English.
• Experience with computers, including word processing, spreadsheets, and the Internet.

Salaries and Benefits:           Competitive salary

How to Apply:

Interested candidates are invited to email a cover letter with contacts for three references and a CV to Mrs. Luong Thi My Ly at [email protected] (in the subject line, please put “Lab Assistant_ full name”), or by post to the UNC office at Room 407-408, Building A2, Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, 298 Kim Ma street, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi no later than 13 May 2022.

We are sorry that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.