Research Technician (80-100%)

Your position

The Translational Skin Laboratory led by Dr. Elisabeth Roider investigates human skin biology with a strong focus on pigmentation, mitochondrial redox regulation, skin cancer, and translational innovation. The position is part of the Innosuisse-funded project “Mitochondrial Modulation for Precision Skin Pigmentation Control”. The project aims to develop first-in-class, bidirectional topical formulations for skin darkening and lightening by targeting the mitochondrial enzyme NNT, using human-relevant in vitro and ex vivo skin models. This position is ideal for a technically strong and highly organized laboratory professional who wants to take ownership of advanced human skin model workflows and contribute to a translational project with clear innovation potential.

We are seeking a highly skilled Research Technician to support experimental work on a translational skin biology project at the interface of academic research and biotech innovation. The successful candidate will take technical ownership of selected workflows, contribute to protocol optimization, maintain high-quality documentation, and ensure reproducibility across cell-based and ex vivo human skin experiments.
Your main responsibilities will include the following areas:
Core experimental responsibilities

• Conducting experiments independently in a BSL-2 clean laboratory setting.
• Performing 2D co-cultures of primary human melanocytes and keratinocytes to quantify melanin synthesis and melanin transfer.
• Working extensively with ex vivo human skin explants, including topical formulation dosing, tissue handling, and monitoring of pigmentation-related phenotypes.
• Measuring skin pigmentation changes using reflective colorimetry, including Chroma Meter-based readouts.

Specialized analytical workflows

• Executing histological and imaging workflows, including Fontana-Masson staining, immunohistochemistry, and fluorescence/confocal microscopy.
• Supporting biochemical and molecular assays, including tyrosinase activity assays, melanin quantification, eumelanin/pheomelanin analysis, RT-qPCR, and ELISA.
• Assisting with data analysis and presentation using Excel, GraphPad Prism, and related tools.

Laboratory ownership and quality

• Maintaining high-quality experimental documentation, sample tracking, and data organization.
• Supporting day-to-day laboratory organization, reagent ordering, quality control, and compliance with internal safety standards.
• Contributing to protocol refinement, troubleshooting, and reproducible execution of complex experimental workflows.

Your profile

We are looking for a candidate who combines strong technical skills with scientific curiosity, reliability, and a proactive working style. We are particularly interested in candidates who take pride in technical excellence, reproducibility, careful documentation, and the reliable execution of complex biological experiments.
Essential qualifications

• Completed education as a laboratory technician, BSc, MSc, or equivalent qualification in life sciences, biology, biomedical sciences, biotechnology, or a related discipline.
• Hands-on experience in mammalian tissue culture, ideally including primary cells or complex cell culture systems.
• Practical experience in histology, immunostaining, microscopy, and molecular biology workflows, including RT-qPCR and ELISA.
• High precision, excellent documentation habits, and the ability to follow complex experimental protocols.
• A high degree of autonomy, flexibility, and confidence in conducting independent research experiments.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with a dynamic, dedicated, and team-oriented attitude.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Strong advantages

• Experience with human skin models, pigmentation biology, ex vivo tissue culture, image analysis, or dermatology-related assays.
• Experience with primary human cells, organotypic cultures, explant systems, or tissue-based assays.
• Experience with structured data reporting, image quantification, colorimetry, GraphPad Prism, or similar analysis tools.
• Previous work in translational, clinical, biotech-oriented, or industry-facing research environments.

We offer you

This is a technically demanding, high-responsibility role for a skilled laboratory professional who wants to work with advanced human skin models and contribute directly to a translational innovation project in dermatology and pigmentation biology. We offer a scientifically exciting position in a translational project with clear relevance to human skin biology, pigmentation control, and dermatological innovation. You will work in a collaborative academic-clinical environment at the Department of Biomedicine, closely connected to the University Hospital Basel and embedded in a project that combines mechanistic science, human tissue models, formulation testing, and clinically relevant readouts.
The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience with advanced human skin models, pigmentation assays, microscopy, histology, molecular biology, formulation testing, and structured translational project workflows. This is an excellent opportunity for a technically skilled and motivated person who wants to contribute to a high-impact project bridging academic discovery and biotech startup-oriented development. The role offers substantial hands-on responsibility and the opportunity to contribute to high-quality data generation, scientific presentations, and a human-relevant experimental platform with strong translational value.