Hi, everyone.
I have been working as a Research Tech II at UTSW.
For me, the application process was long with lots of waiting. I applied for research tech positions in late December. I had my first interview in the middle of January. It took them three weeks to call me with the news I was being offered the position. (I had really liked the first lab, but I ended up interviewing at a second one in the mean time. Why did they take so long?!?) I started work the next week. So, in all, the application to first day of training time was about a month and a half.
I love the job so far. My coworkers are also content in their positions. The benefits and the pay are great. My PI is kinda lax on when we come in. (Not all PIs are like this, though.) As long as we get in forty hours a week, he doesn't care what time it is. However, it is really nice to be there during regular working hours to try and talk to him. (He travels a lot and can be hard to get a hold of.)
As for shadowing, I haven't done it yet. But, my PI is in the clinic every week, as are the research fellows. So, I don't think it would really be hard for me to get the privilege of shadowing them. I can't say that for all departments, though. We are a more clinically-based lab (although the research techs and assistants are doing more hard-core science), so I might have more opportunities here than in other labs.
Ok, the difference between a research tech and a research assistant. The basic research tech I position is really for someone without a bachelors degree. After a year or two of experience as a research tech I OR getting a bachelors degree, one can become a research tech II. After a year or two of experience OR getting a masters, a person can become a research assistant I. And with more and more experience, you can become a research assistant II, etc.
With each increase in level, comes increasing pay and increasing responsibility. What a person does at each of these levels really depends on your lab. But, from what I've noticed, the research techs all pretty much follow set, known, proven procedures/protocols. The research assistants are more involved with their PI in setting up new procedures/protocols.
As for securing a position, here is the advice I can give you:
1. Get yourself into the database. Put in your application and apply for departments you are interested in. On the UTSW online system, you can only apply for FIVE positions per calendar month. So, be careful.
2. Email professors. Go on the UTSW website and look through the different departments. Find a professor (or professors) that are doing work that is interesting to you and you would be willing to work on for a while. Ask questions! If this is someone you would like to shadow, then ask through email or if you meet the professor in person. If you want a clinical research position, you'll want to find a member of the clinical faculty. But beware, clinical research is more of a social science than actual, hard-core science. You may end up working more with statistics of changing various medical procedures than with the actual pathology of a disease. (In my lab, the PI is technically clinical faculty, but the lab is more hard-core science. So, variations exist.)
3. Social networking. Talk to anyone and everyone you know affiliated with the school or research area. (Kinda like what you guys are starting o do right now.) The idea is to not only get your foot in the door, but to figure out where you would like to work within the institution (since they tend to vary greatly). Talk to the rest of the lab staff before or after your interview. See if you can get along with them. You will be around them for a while, so this is important. Also, you may end up working with them on projects, so it wouldn't hurt to see if their work is interesting to you, as well.
I hope my view on things is helpful to you guys. Good luck. 🙂
