Microbiologist II

Tanaq Management Services LLC•Atlanta, GA

1h•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated Microbiologist II to support ongoing projects within public health for our Federal Government customer. The successful candidate will have a strong background in molecular biology and laboratory techniques and will be able to work independently as well as part of a team. The ideal candidate will also have supervisory experience or experience training others. The position will involve supporting a variety of laboratory projects, including the development of new vaccines, the study of infectious diseases, molecular epidemiology, and surveillance. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with various disciplines of life sciences and biotechnology as well as contribute to important research that is making a difference in the fight against disease. A Microbiologist II is responsible for performing various laboratory-based tasks to support the laboratory. This includes developing and standardizing complex laboratory procedures, such as molecular analyses, including PCR, real-time PCR, and whole genome and amplicon sequencing library preparation. The Microbiologist II would be responsible for developing and implementing quality control procedures. In addition, the Microbiologist II would also be responsible for troubleshooting problems and providing technical support to the team. This is a fully onsite position at our customer's location in Atlanta, Georgia.

Requirements

Minimum 3-4 years of laboratory experience with molecular biological laboratory procedures and methods, including direct experience with CLIA-certified assays.
Experience training or supervising others.
Experience conducting research that involves preparation and handling of nucleic acid samples, real-time PCR, ELISA, etc.
Extensive knowledge of laboratory principles and standard methods.
Experience analyzing data from scientific projects and programs using appropriate programs (e.g., Excel, BLAST, etc.)
Experience assisting with specimen accessioning, scanning, and uploading documents into the electronic laboratory management system (ELIMS).
Experience writing project reports, research protocols and manuscripts, with the ability to synthesize new research ideas for project research preferred.
Experience performing laboratory work at a biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) or BSL-2-enhanced required.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Excel, required.
Strong attention to detail.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced setting.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Effective organization skills.
Ability to obtain government clearance.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology, Microbiology, Life Sciences or closely related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience working at CDC or in a public health setting preferred.
Experience performing next-generation sequencing (NGS) preferred.
Experience in laboratory diagnosis of viral infections preferred.
Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure accurate counts for inventories of laboratory equipment and supplies.
Develop standard operating procedures and ensure that all work is completed accurately and efficiently.
Provide training on aseptic technique, processing, detection, and enumeration of pathogens and associated genes.
Supervise conventional and molecular microbiologic techniques for the isolation, identification, and subtyping of pathogens.
Ensure samples for sequencing and metagenomic analysis, including extraction and library prep are handled according to SOPs.
Develop and/or validate conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and data analysis procedures.
Meet with more junior staff and SME/project leads at least bi-weekly to discuss testing results and plans.
Conduct experiments and equipment maintenance in compliance with the CLIA and QMS.
Develop molecular diagnostic reagents (PCR and sequencing).
Collaborate on genetic analysis projects and studies with various internal partners.
Analyze results of assays, ensuring quality controls are maintained during testing.
Develop and validate immunoassays.
Assist with preparing written documents, reports, and analyses of various scientific projects and programs by creating drafts, editing, and/or reviewing final products.
Manage incoming specimen processing, inventory, and “chain of custody” requirements as determined by Lab Coordinators.
Prepare written protocols and documents according to QMS guidelines.
Analyze data from scientific projects and programs using appropriate programs (e.g., Excel, BLAST, etc.)
Provide a weekly project update to SME/project leads.