When you want to hire the right person for an opening in your organization, it is important to write a good job description. This will save you a lot of time because the applicants will be individuals who understand what the job entails and who are qualified for the position. The goals of writing a strong description should be to attract qualified candidates, attract like-minded people, and filter out those who are not right for the job. In order to guide you when writing a job description, the following is a neurobiologist job description sample that will help.
Neurobiologist Job Summary
Conduct research individually and collaboratively in order to solve relevant biological issues. Manage an efficient lab environment including cell culture work and preparing reports.
Neurobiologist Job Responsibilities and Duties
- Conduct research by completing internet searches; planning and carrying out tests and experiments; developing hypotheses; analyzing findings; filling out experiment records and logs; writing summaries and explanations; operating equipment; and developing conclusions
- Complete neurobiological studies by performing tests and interviews and interpreting results
- Collaborate with other scientists by sharing and exchanging observations, opinions, and findings
- Present and discuss test findings at scientific review meetings
- Set up equipment and operate them per instructions; perform preventive maintenance; troubleshoot breakdowns; and call for repairs
- Maintain professional integrity by following procedures, policies, and protocols
- Maintain safe lab environment by following legal regulations and organization standards
- Prepare reports by analyzing, collecting, and summarizing data and trends
Neurobiologist Skills and Qualifications
- PhD in neurobiology, cell biology, biochemistry, or molecular biology
- Minimum of three years of relevant experience
- Track record of research productivity
- Experience with culturing primary cells from CNS and sterile techniques
- Experience with techniques such as IHC, qPCR, microscopy, and molecular biology
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Detail-oriented
- Highly motivated
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Effective team player
Company Description
ABC Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that seeks to develop, discover, and commercialize modern medicines so individuals with severe illnesses can lead higher quality lives. We have more than a dozen programs of ongoing research that are aimed at life-threatening diseases and those with few or no treatment options.
Originally founded in 1990 in Hartford, Connecticut, ABC Pharmaceuticals now has development and research sites in multiple national locations as well as in Europe. We have been named as a top employer for our excellent benefit package and job flexibility.
Best Practices When Writing a Job Description
- While this neurobiologist job description sample gives you a good example of what one should look like, there may be times when you don’t want to follow an outline. The following best practices will assist you so that you include the right information and weed out candidates who are unqualified for the position.
- If you are not that familiar with the position, talk with someone who already has the job or knows what it entails. Get them to describe what an average day looks like and then explain the role using inviting words to help applicants see themselves in the role.
- Be specific about responsibilities and qualifications. While you want to keep the job description under 700 words, you need to be clear enough so that applicants fully understand what position they are applying for.
- Make sure you demonstrate the personality and culture of the organization. While job candidates should do their own research about the company, this is your opportunity to highlight why applicants would want to work for you. Mention a compelling vision, unique employee perks, or explain how you differ from the competition.
- Always end with a call to action to encourage applicants to send in their resume. Make it clear whether they should email, mail, or go through an online form, and include the proper addresses.
- Check with your company policy before publicizing benefit or salary information.
- Use keywords in the job title and throughout the description. This improves your chances of landing on the first page of a search engine such as Bing or Google. Try not to use more than five or six keywords total.
- Always proofread your job description to make sure there are no misspelling or grammar errors before submitting it. A high quality description will attract high quality candidates.
Neurobiologist Job Responsibilities
The meatiest and most in-depth section of your neurobiologist job description is the job responsibilities section. It’s important to ensure this section contains detailed and precise information. It should outline the key duties and tasks you expect a person to do in this position. If well written, the neurobiologist job responsibilities section will give an excellent look at a day in the life of a neurobiologist. This allows jobseekers to know if this job is for them.
As you write this section, stick to 6-8 tasks, duties or responsibilities. Narrow it down to the most essential and important ones. You do not want a huge list, because job applicants may see this as being too demanding or too much for them to handle, and you could miss out on a great candidate. Also engage the applicant by using action verbs to start each entry.
Here is what this section might look like in a neurobiologist job description:
- Conduct neurobiological tests and examinations to gain insight and complete studies
- Research information to reach conclusions and create experiments
- Conduct experiments to determine answers to questions
- Manage equipment in the laboratory, along with keeping supplies stocked
- Keep proper documentation of all tests, experiments and interactions
- Adhere to all policies, rules and regulations regarding safety and confidentiality
Neurobiologist Job Specifications
The job qualifications and skills section of your neurobiologist job description alerts applicants to the requirements of the job. It explains the education, skills and experience required for consideration for the position. With this section, you can weed out those jobseekers who do not meet the neurobiologist job specifications. This saves you and them time because you won’t have to go through applications for unqualified individuals, and they won’t waste their time applying for a job they cannot get.
It is important to consider what is actually needed to do the job. If you are not familiar with the position, speak with others who are. Get a solid idea of the training or background a person needs for success as a neurobiologist. Create your job qualifications and skills section by listing the most important attributes. Note whether each is a requirement or just something preferred. You can create two lists if needed to separate required from preferred items. Always be specific when possible and ensure you cover everything completely so as not to leave any question what the requirements are.
The following is an example of how this section might look in a neurobiologist job description:
- PhD in neurobiology
- Research experience in neurobiology
- Medical license as required by the state to work with patients
- Analytical ability
- Excellent communication skills
- Experience working with various computer systems a plus