Sr. Research Associate, Comparative Medicine

Responsibilities

• Performs analysis of bacteriological samples utilizing standard techniques such as plating, Gram staining, colony counting, as well as phenotypic, biochemical, and/or genetic analyses.
• Serves as a member of a team in developing, validating, and maintaining methods for identifying and characterizing biological threat agents.
• Provides technical support to multiple bacteriology and aerobiology projects simultaneously.
• May support other research areas of NBACC with appropriate training to meet program requirements.
• Proactively identifies issues and recommends solutions to improve laboratory protocols, procedures, and experimental plans, and participates in the testing and evaluation of new technologies and protocols.
• Assists in developing high-quality draft protocols, task-specific procedures and SOPs with minimal supervision, maintaining records and supporting Principal Investigators during the writing of technical reports.
• May act as a Technical Lead to coordinate day-to-day project logistics and scheduling, perform summary-level analyses of data and provide drafts of project administrative documents.
• Mentors/cross trains other technical staff on bacterial procedures and SOPs.
• May be appointed as a Lab Space Manager (LSM), and/or Biological Select Agents and Toxins (BSAT) designee.
• Willingness to adapt to new work assignments, and perform assignments outside area of expertise, while managing resources efficiently.
• Works on assignments requiring considerable judgment and initiative, while understanding the implications of work and making recommendations for solutions.
• Receives little instruction on daily work, general instructions on newly introduced assignments, and has the ability to mentor personnel within the group.
• Participates in the testing and evaluation of new technologies and protocols including writing and updating NBACC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), work instructions and forms.
• Identifies departures from the Quality Management System (QMS) and initiates actions to investigate and prevent such occurrences.
• With minimal supervision, operates, maintains, and characterizes the performance of the equipment ensuring the reagents and supplies are maintained and used properly.
• Develops techniques, prepares samples and performs test according to appropriate SOPs.
• Exhibits teamwork, clear communication, openness to ideas, and patience with colleagues.
• Demonstrates the ability to multitask, maintain composure under pressure, and utilize effective time management skills to prioritize tasks in a complex, high containment environment.
• Is a self-starter driven by an eagerness to succeed, maintaining flexibility, adapting to change productively, learning new concepts, and using critical thinking to resolve complex technical problems.
• Maintains appropriate records.
• Performs other duties as assigned/authorized.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science (or equivalent) in a scientific discipline and a minimum of 6 years of related experience or a Master’s degree and a minimum of 4 years of related experience.
• Equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered as substitution for the specific requirements outlined above.
• Must have experience with standard bacteriological methods including phenotypic, biochemical and/or molecular analysis of bacterial agents.
• Relevant experience in ANY of the following areas: techniques for managing workflows associated with animal tissue processing; preparation and optimization of PCR assays, including qPCR; design, optimization and validation of ELISA assays.
• Advanced scientific proficiency in laboratory functions. Possesses the ability to identify issues and recommend solutions to laboratory protocols, procedures, and experimental plans.
• Proficiency and clarity of oral and written communications are essential.
• Exemplary organizational skills with a proven track record of working effectively both independently and as a team player.
• Knowledge or experience with biocontainment facilities and procedures, laboratory safety, biosurety, and decontamination is desirable.
• Skills and experience to support laboratory activities and work in accordance with NBACC’s management system (e.g., ISO).

Security/Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a citizen of the United States, able to obtain and maintain an interim secret clearance leading to a top-secret clearance, suitability for DHS, and a favorable adjudication of the Department of Justice (DoJ) for select agent access.
• Participation in the Immunization Program, Medical Surveillance Program, and enrollment in the Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) is required.
• May be required to participate in NBACC’s alternative work and/or on-call schedule, dependent upon business needs.