Research Associate, Plant Transformation

About the role

We are looking for a dynamic and self-motivated Research Associate to join our fast-growing and collaborative Product Development team to work on plant transformation and tissue culture. This is a hands-on, lab-based role which requires the ability to concentrate, pay attention to details, work efficiently, troubleshoot, and work independently as well as in a team environment. The right candidate will be well-organized, flexible, and able to deliver high-quality results on time. This position will be located at our West Lafayette, IN site.

As a Research Associate you will

• Perform plant transformation in multiple, commercially relevant crops using established production protocols.
• Support the genome editing production pipeline by developing and optimizing transformation methods, testing and validating novel transformation technologies, and continuously improving processes to increase scale and efficiency.
• Collaborate with Scientists and Research Associates to execute experiments, conduct analyses, and record data.
• Initiate and maintain in-vitro plant cultures in a high throughput setting.
• Maintain a clean working environment for plant tissue culture experiments.
• Keep detailed and organized records of work, project data, and other necessary information.
• Work with colleagues to troubleshoot and develop effective solutions when problems arise.
• Participate in scientific discussions and present research outcomes to peers and management.
• Spend up to 80% of your daily work hours in the lab, working at a laminar flow hood, lab bench and/or growth chambers and using tissue culture tools (e.g., forceps, scalpels).
• Must be able to lift 40 lbs.

You bring

• Bachelor's degree, or Associate degree plus 1–2 years of lab experience.
• Experience with dicot and/or monocot plant tissue culture and genetic transformation technologies.
• Proficiency in aseptic techniques.
• Experience with bacterial cell culture.
• Understanding of microbiology and molecular biology principles/techniques.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent planning, organization, and execution skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
• Initiative and sound judgment with a willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet goals.
• Positive attitude with strong interpersonal skills.
• Flexibility, adaptability and ability to constructively challenge the status quo.
• Creativity and efficiency in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Self-motivated with a results-driven approach and focus on execution.
• Curiosity and desire to continuously learn and have a meaningful impact.
• Collaborative mindset, open to giving and receiving feedback and ideas.
• Proficiency in Microsoft office suite applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

Bonus qualifications

• 1 year of industry experience in plant tissue culture.
• Hands-on, in-depth experience with dicot genetic transformation technologies.
• Experience in molecular biology.
• Proficiency with light and fluorescent microscopy.
• Proficiency with digital record keeping in Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN).