Special Project Associate-II-Lab Medicine & Pathology

Why Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is top-ranked in more specialties than any other care provider according to U.S. News & World Report. As we work together to put the needs of the patient first, we are also dedicated to our employees, investing in competitive compensation and comprehensive benefit plans – to take care of you and your family, now and in the future. And with continuing education and advancement opportunities at every turn, you can build a long, successful career with Mayo Clinic.

Benefits Highlights

• Medical: Multiple plan options.
• Dental: Delta Dental or reimbursement account for flexible coverage.
• Vision: Affordable plan with national network.
• Pre-Tax Savings: HSA and FSAs for eligible expenses.
• Retirement: Competitive retirement package to secure your future.

Responsibilities

A Special Project Associate II position is available in the Neurodegeneration and Sleep Pathology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic under the leadership of Dr. Lea T. Grinberg. The lab focuses on the study of early-stage Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, leveraging large-scale neuropathology data, digital pathology, and multi-omics approaches. Dr. Grinberg is also the Director of the Brain Bank Modernization initiative and is assisted by Dr. Felipe Pereira, who co-leads it.

The individual will work within a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary team that includes neuropathologists, clinicians, statisticians, data scientists, and informaticians. And closely connected with Brain Bank Modernization initiative activities. Visit this site for more information about Dr. Grinberg: Lea T. Grinberg, M.D., Ph.D. - Mayo Clinic Faculty Profiles - Mayo Clinic Research

This position will contribute to four primary areas:

1. Specimen & Brain Bank Operations

• Support tissue processing workflows by assisting with handling, cataloging, documentation, and storage of fresh and fixed tissue specimens, following established procedures and safety requirements.
• Assist with maintaining accurate physical inventories (e.g., blocks, slides, hemi-brains) and ensuring traceability between physical specimens and associated records.
• Participate in standardized specimen tracking, annotation, and basic quality-control checks to support consistent brain bank operations.

2. REDCap/SQL Data Systems Support

• Assist with development, maintenance, and day-to-day support of REDCap databases and structured data workflows used for large-scale brain bank operations.
• Perform routine data entry, validation, cleaning, and reconciliation to maintain accurate linkage between specimens and associated clinical/neuropathology metadata.
• Use SQL queries (with guidance) to support operational reporting, audits, and quality checks across specimen inventories and metadata tables.

3. Automation and Digital Workflow Support

• Assist (with training) in creating and maintaining simple scripts/tools (e.g., Python and/or R) that support operational tasks such as data validation, file organization, and routine reporting.
• Support integration of clinical, neuropathological, imaging, and omics-associated metadata as it relates to tracked biospecimens, under supervision.

4. Digital Pathology Support

• Assist with review and verification of digitized slide images to ensure correct linkage among specimens, stains, and digital outputs, in collaboration with neuropathology and wet-lab staff.
• Apply foundational understanding of histology/staining workflows to support accurate mapping between physical samples and digital records.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications (Must Have)

• Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) in a relevant field (e.g., biomedical sciences, laboratory sciences, biomedical informatics, computer science, or related).
• Strong foundation in database systems.
• Familiarity with REDCap or similar data capture systems and experience using SQL
• Familiarity with Python and/or R for basic scripting tasks (training and supervision provided).
• Familiarity with natural language processing techniques and/or large language models.
• Interest in supporting wet-lab/biorepository workflows and working as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to follow written procedures, maintain accurate documentation, and work effectively under supervision.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary, collaborative research environment.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Master’s degree (MSc) in a relevant field.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and basic software development best practices.
• Experience with or interest in clinical, biomedical, or healthcare-related research applications.
• Familiarity with tissue types (e.g., fixed tissue, frozen tissue, blocks, slides), staining workflows, and histopathological terminology.
• Familiarity with digital pathology workflows or large imaging datasets.
• Understanding of biospecimen inventory systems or sample‑tracking environments.
• Experience working with structured and/or unstructured data, including text or imaging data.

Exemption Status

Nonexempt

Compensation Detail

Education, experience and tenure may be considered along with internal equity when job offers are extended.; $25.19 - $33.15 / hour;

Benefits Eligible

Yes

Schedule

Full Time

Hours/Pay Period

80

International Assignment

No

Site Description

Just as our reputation has spread beyond our Minnesota roots, so have our locations. Today, our employees are located at our three major campuses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, Jacksonville, Florida, Rochester, Minnesota, and at Mayo Clinic Health System campuses throughout Midwestern communities, and at our international locations. Each Mayo Clinic location is a special place where our employees thrive in both their work and personal lives. Learn more about what each unique Mayo Clinic campus has to offer, and where your best fit is.

Equal Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, protected veteran status or disability status. Learn more about the "EOE is the Law" . Mayo Clinic participates in E-Verify and may provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization.

Recruiter

Kara Schott