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Oklahoma State University

Laboratory Manager, Meat and Muscle Biology Lab

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States, 74074

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Laboratory Manager, Meat and Muscle Biology Lab Join to apply for the Laboratory Manager, Meat and Muscle Biology Lab role at Oklahoma State University.

Campus: OSU–Stillwater

Contact: Ranjith Ramanathan, ranjith.ramanathan@okstate.edu

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (occasional evenings and weekends)

Appointment Length: Regular Continuous / Until Further Notice

Salary Range: $60,000 – $80,000

Special Instructions to Applicants: For full consideration, please include a résumé, cover letter and contact information for three professional references.

About Us: The Department of Animal and Food Sciences has more than 1100 undergraduate students, 65 MS, 31 Ph D students, and 31 faculty. The department has nine undergraduate student organizations, seven competitive teams and operates nine farm and ranch units covering over 12,000 acres. For more information about the department, see http://www.afs.okstate.edu

Position Summary: The Meat and Muscle Biology Lab is seeking a motivated and detail‑oriented individual to assist in research related to the biological, chemical, and physical properties of meat and muscle tissues, and to support teaching/extension coordination. The successful candidate will support ongoing experiments, data collection, and analysis related to muscle growth, meat quality, and post‑mortem muscle conversion processes.

Key Responsibilities

Manage, operate, and maintain meat science labs

Coordinate slaughter and fabrication dates with FAPC Meat Lab and AFS Faculty

Secure and/or procure animals for slaughter from OSU AFS Farms or outside sources as needed

Coordinate with Meat Science Faculty and FAPC for all teaching, research, and extension programming needs

Assist with sample collection and preparation from live animal harvests and post‑harvest carcass fabrication

Conduct common laboratory assays related to meat science or related fields

Maintain detailed laboratory notebooks, record experimental procedures, and organize data for analysis

Operate and maintain laboratory equipment, including centrifuges, spectrophotometers, texture analyzers, and microscopes

Ensure compliance with lab safety protocols, animal handling guidelines, and institutional regulations

Support undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in experimental design and project execution

Work Environment

Potential exposure to biological samples, raw meat, cold environments (coolers/freezers), and standard laboratory chemicals

Tasks may require lifting up to 50 lb and standing for extended periods

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Food Science, Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field (conferred on or before the agreed start date)

Three years of related work experience

Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge:

Ability to work independently and in a team environment

Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, and willingness to learn new techniques

Good written and verbal communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree in Animal Science, Food Science, Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field

Basic understanding of muscle structure, meat science, or food biochemistry

Prior laboratory or meat science research experience (proximate analysis, pH measurement, water‑holding capacity, tenderness, color, etc.)

Experience with molecular techniques and/or histology

Familiarity with data analysis software (e.g., SAS, R, Prism, ImageJ)

Experience with histological techniques (tissue fixation, sectioning, staining, imaging)

Experience with molecular biology techniques (RNA/DNA extraction, PCR, Western blotting, etc.)

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