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Department of

Biological Sciences

Work Study Positions

Please note:
These positions are for students who have been awarded work study support in their financial aid package. Please contact the financial aid office to find out if this is the case for you.

  • BABCOCK Lab: The Babcock Lab is looking for highly-motivated students intersted in working with fruit flies used to study neurodegenerative diseases. This is a great opportunity to gain experience working in a lab environment. Primary responsibilities include maintaining fly stocks, preparing media and solutions, and helping perform experiments. Ideally, interested students would seek to work in the lab long-term, with the possibility of transitioning to a research position. Please email Dr. Babcock to apply. Positions will open starting in October.
  • HAAS Lab: Are you part zombie? If so, you might enjoy working close to the brains, rodent and human, in the Haas Lab. Responsibilities include basic lab maintenance and animal care. A great way for a responsible and reliable person to dip toes into a research career. Please email Dr. Haas if you would like to apply or have brains to donate.
  • IM Lab: Are you looking for a serious research experience in biomolecular modeling and simulation? We teach A to Z, so that you can carry out biomolecular modeling and simulation of proteins, membranes, carbohydrates, and protein-ligand interactions. Please visit the Im Research lab, and send an email to Dr. Wonpil Im, if you are interested.
  • IOVINE LAB: Are you tired of doing the same old thing?  How about a new and exciting work study opportunity?  Professor Kathy Iovine in the Department of Biological Sciences has just the opportunity for you.  No experience is necessary, just the willingness to be trained!  Responsibilities include feeding zebrafish, cleaning fish tanks, keeping fish room in order, preparing solutions and autoclaving.  This position includes weekend hours.  Students must be able to provide weekend transportation to Iacocca Hall on Mountaintop Campus. If you would like to apply, please e-mail Dr. Iovine. Work-study preferred.
  • KOWALKO LAB: The Kowalko lab is looking for students interested in working with fish to understand the genetic and neural underpinnings of behavior. Primary responsibilities include fish care, performing experiments, and data analysis. This position would likely include weekend hours at Iacocca Hall on Mountaintop Campus. Ideally, we are looking for students who will continue beyond the current semester, and would be interested in pursuing more independent research projects in the future. Please e-mail Dr. Kowalko if you are interested.
  • LANG LAB: We are looking for reliable students to assist with laboratory support (such as preparing media, washing glassware, and other tasks). Ideally we are looking for students who will continue beyond the current semester. Depending on the interest level and commitment of the student, this position could transition into research. Please e-mail Dr. Lang.
  • LAYDEN LAB: We are looking for motivated student(s) interested in neural development and regeneration, and/or nervous system evolution to help maintain animal cultures, perform general lab tasks (making stock solutions etc.), and participate in research. Ideal students would work in the lab long term and build toward a more research-oriented role. E-mail Dr. Layden.
  • LOWE-KRENTZ LAB: Want to gain valuable experience in a low stress environment and get paid? Work study in the Lowe-Krentz lab in Biological Sciences is the place to do it!!!  Learn basic lab maintenance, get practice making reagents and learn to use autoclaves and other equipment.  Have some experience to list when you apply for summer jobs and research opportunities later. Please e-mail Dr. Lowe-Krentz if you would like to apply.
  • MEYER LAB: Interested in genomics? Help build the brand new Meyer lab from the ground up, and learn techniques in molecular biology and/or bioinformatics. You will work with new sequencing technologies and DNA sequences from animals such as bats and primates, and will interact with other students and researchers across the country. Prefer experience in genetics lab OR with computer programming but willing to train any new skills; bonus points for any coursework/experience in teaching, design, management, or outreach. If you are interested, please email Dr. Meyer, and indicate your preference for "wet" lab (molecular experiments) or "dry" lab (working with data on computers)
  • MIWA LAB: Can you teach old dogs new tricks? Our brains learn readily in youth, but that malleability goes away in adulthood. We are studying genes which act as switches for these processes. We can control those switches and make “smart mice” through genetic engineering. Be part of this research program and have fun at the same time. The major experience involves taking care of, and experimenting on, our smart mice. Also work in the molecular biology lab, restocking and organizing the supplies. If you are interested, email Dr. Julie Miwa.
  • RICE LAB: Interested in evolution? Come join our lab if you would like to learn about some of the ways you can do research in evolutionary biology. Work-study students will assist with lab support work such as lab maintenance, buffer preparation, and autoclaving. A great way to decide if research is for you! Please e-mail Dr. Rice if you would like to apply.
  • SHROPSHIRE LAB:  Picture a world where an infection can render males sterile, cause their death, transform them into females, or empower females to reproduce asexually. This is not science fiction, but a reality in the world of insects, where most harbor Wolbachia bacteria inside their cells. In the Shropshire Lab, we are unraveling the secrets of this bacteria's extraordinary success, and we're inviting dedicated students to join us on this journey. There are two ways to get involved. As a Technician, you'll play a key part in maintaining insect stocks and ensuring smooth day-to-day operations in the lab. As an Assistant, you'll work closely with lab members, providing invaluable aid with experiments. No experience is necessary, but we value curiosity, a willingness to learn, and an appreciation for the captivating realm of insect-microbe interactions. Visit https://lehigh.edu/shropshirelab to learn more and email Dr. Shropshire to apply.
  • SIMON Lab: We have work opportunities in translational medicine. Reliable students are needed to assist with laboratory support, animal maintenance, behavioral testing, and cell biology studies. We will train you. For students with professional aspirations, we hope that the work-study position can evolve into becoming a researcher in the lab. If you are interested in applying for this position, please e-mail Dr. Simon or Dr. Lu.
  • URBAN Lab:   Work in the lab focuses on understanding how physiological and circuit properties of neuronal networks in the brain support the processing of information to guide complex behavior, focusing on the olfactory system in mice. Motivated and independent undergraduates with a background in neuroscience, engineering, computer science, or related fields can directly engage in ongoing research in numerous ways, including: (1) helping manage our genetically-engineered mouse colony, (2) training and running mice in behavioral experiments, (3) histological analysis of neuron morphology and neurochemistry, and (4) modeling neuronal and circuit activity and/or mouse behavior. Please email Dr. Urban or Dr. Burton if you are interested in applying for a position.
  • WARE Lab: Lab assistant will participate in laboratory maintenance and research projects related to fruit fly genetics and development. Duties will include media preparation, glassware cleaning, fruit fly husbandry, and other general assistance related to research projects. Please email Dr. Ware if you would like to apply.
  • TEACHING LABS (STEPS): Position is for Biological Sciences Teaching Labs. Duties include general lab media prep, stocking supplies, sterilization, lab organization, clean up, moving equipment and dish-washing. Employee is providing invaluable help with several, multi-section, large enrollment lab courses where even jobs as simple as cleaning up, require individuals who are motivated, dedicated and responsible, as low quality work directly affects the success of students enrolled in the labs. Please email Kim Pike to apply.
  • TEACHING LABS (IACOCCA): Perform weekly preparation of teaching laboratories. Duties include re-stocking basic supplies, pack and autoclave pipet tips, wash glassware, operate eyewash stations, maintain general cleanliness, and update inventories. Please email Lee Graham to apply.
  • ZAPPULLA LAB: Our new lab at Lehigh is seeking a dedicated work-study student to carefully and regularly perform crucial tasks that support the lab’s research, such as making media to grow baker’s yeast and cleaning glassware. This requires carefully and quickly learning to follow established protocols and keeping in regular touch with Dr. Zappulla and other lab members as to what to do each week. This position is a great way to get learn a lot of valuable molecular biology skills (including performing control experiments to test the media you make) and become familiarized, ideally over multiple semesters, with basic biomedical investigation in order to potentially open doors to performing it yourself.  Email Dr. Zappulla to apply.