Post Doctorate Research Associate - Analytical Methods and Laboratory Automation
About The Position
The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) seeks a Post-Doctoral Researcher in laboratory automation to join the Molecular Observation Network (MONet) team. MONet is an EMSL initiative focused on molecular environmental science at ecosystem and regional scales. The researcher will lead testing, optimization, and validation of the Automated Soil Analysis Platform (ASAP), an integrated set of instruments that processes MONet soil cores through a high-throughput analytical workflow. ASAP combines instruments including the SoilSlinger, an in-house soil aliquoting device, TECAN Fluent liquid handlers, a shaker, a centrifuge, and robotic sample transportation. Its goal is to deliver high-throughput, reproducible soil sample preparation with full sample traceability, enabling consistent, well-documented data at a scale beyond manual workflows. The researcher will publish on automation activities and analytical methods.
Requirements
- Must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or expect to receive one within the next eight months from an accredited college or university.
Nice To Haves
- Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biology, Soil Science, Environmental Science, Chemical or Biological Engineering, or a related field.
- Experience programming and operating laboratory automation platforms.
- Experience with analytical chemistry method development, validation, and QA/QC for high-throughput sample processing.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively both in a team and independently.
- Experience programming automation routines and software such as Python or .NET.
- Familiarity with laboratory automation technologies such as SiLA or ROS.
- Familiarity with laboratory automation platforms such as Tecan or Opentrons.
- Record of peer-reviewed publications.
Responsibilities
- Design and execute test plans to evaluate, validate, and optimize ASAP workflows for high-throughput soil core processing.
- Program, operate, and troubleshoot automated liquid handlers and other integrated ASAP instruments.
- Benchmark automated protocols against manual methods to assess data quality, throughput, and reproducibility.
- Document methods, test results, and standard operating procedures, and implement QA/QC practices.
- Collaborate with automation engineers, analytical chemists, and soil scientists.
- Lead manuscript development on laboratory automation activities and methods, and present results at national and international conferences.
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Flexible work schedules
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Telehealth care options
- Mental health benefits
- Wellness coaching
- Health savings account
- Flexible spending accounts
- Basic life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Business travel insurance
- Tuition assistance
- Relocation assistance
- Backup childcare
- Legal benefits
- Supplemental parental bonding leave
- Surrogacy and adoption assistance
- Fertility support
- Company-funded pension plan
- 401(k) savings plan with company match
- Up to 120 vacation hours per year
- Ten paid holidays per year
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
