Microbiologist III

Tanaq Management Services LLC•Atlanta, GA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Tanaq Management Services (TMS), a subsidiary of St. George Tanaq Corporation, provides professional, scientific, technical, and IT services to federal agencies. The Microbiologist III supports public health laboratory projects involving post-vaccine monitoring, clinical sample evaluation, infectious disease research, molecular epidemiology, and surveillance. The role requires a strong background in molecular biology and laboratory techniques, along with the ability to manage a multidisciplinary team. Supervisory and project management experience are also sought. This is a fully onsite position at the customer’s location in Atlanta, Georgia. The Microbiologist III oversees laboratory projects, procedures, testing, quality controls, staff training, data analysis, documentation, and compliance with applicable SOPs, CLIA, and QMS requirements. The role also collaborates with internal and external partners and provides weekly project updates to the client and/or program management.

Requirements

Minimum 3–5 years of laboratory experience with molecular biological laboratory procedures and methods.
Experience managing a team.
Experience conducting research involving preparation and handling of nucleic acid samples, real-time PCR, ELISA, or similar methods.
Extensive knowledge of laboratory principles and standard methods.
Experience analyzing scientific project and program data using appropriate programs, such as Excel and BLAST.
Experience assisting with specimen accessioning, scanning, and uploading documents into an electronic laboratory management system (ELIMS).
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Excel.
Strong attention to detail, effective organization skills, and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced setting.
Ability to obtain necessary immunizations, including Hepatitis B, and any other immunizations relevant to laboratory placement.
Ability to obtain a government clearance.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.
Master’s degree in molecular biology, microbiology, life sciences, or a closely related field.
Ability to obtain respiratory clearance and fit testing if required.
Ability to sit for prolonged periods and work at a computer; may need to lift 25 pounds regularly.
Must be able to work with hazardous chemicals and potentially infectious biological agents.
Must be physically capable of repetitive motions such as pipetting and operating cell counters.

Nice To Haves

Experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS).
Experience in laboratory diagnosis of viral infections.
Experience writing project reports, research protocols, and manuscripts, and synthesizing new research ideas for project research.
Experience working at CDC or in a public health setting.
Doctorate degree.

Responsibilities

Oversee laboratory project aims and ensure projects remain within scope of work.
Lead development and implementation of new laboratory procedures; develop and/or validate experimental procedures.
Train and mentor junior team members, and meet with junior staff and subject-matter experts/project leads at least bi-weekly to discuss testing results and plans.
Ensure quality control measures are followed accurately and analyze assay results while maintaining quality controls.
Supervise conventional and molecular microbiologic techniques for pathogen isolation, identification, and subtyping.
Ensure samples for sequencing and metagenomic analysis, including extraction and library preparation, are handled according to SOPs.
Ensure experiments and equipment maintenance comply with CLIA and QMS requirements.
Ensure molecular diagnostic reagents for PCR and sequencing, and QA/QC including the proficiency testing program, are developed.
Collaborate on genetic analysis projects and studies with internal and external partners.
Validate project experimental results.
Assist in drafting, editing, and reviewing scientific documents, reports, and analyses.
Verify 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, such as Excel and BLAST.
Provide weekly project updates to the client and/or program management.
Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences and remain familiar with the latest scientific advances.