Posted: April 4, 2017

The Schilder lab is looking for an enthusiastic, creative undergraduate assistant willing to take care of our insect colony, while also building skills and connections that will transcend your time here at Penn State

Are you interested in insects? Are you looking for useful skills that will captivate potential employers? Do you want to dazzle your family and friends with random trivia facts? Then the Schilder lab is perfect for you!

The main task for the undergraduate research assistant will be to help in the maintenance and care of the Manduca sexta colony. Maintenance of the Manduca colony involves feeding and cleaning of the larval caterpillars, as well as adult moths; cleaning and sterilizing containers; and preparing diet for the caterpillars. Assistants that show hard work and dedication over time can participate in more applied tasks, such as learning various molecular techniques (such as PCR and RNA extractions), field work techniques (dragonfly catching), technical skills (high-speed videography and statistical analysis), and the possibly an independent project. We expect the undergraduate research assistant to put in an average of 20 hours of work per week. We offer research credits (which are worth their weight in gold), a fun working environment, and practical skills useful in any biological research lab.

Priority will be given to students available during the summer semester and students that can work for multiple semesters (freshman, sophomores, or juniors). Prior research experience is not required. If you are interested in joining our lab, please email Brandon Gominho () a copy of your resume, potential start date, and a brief description of yourself (major, interests, etc.).

Submitted by Brandon Gominho (bsg5145@psu.edu)