Research Assistant- Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Parsons Corporation•Frederick, MD

3d•$55,300 - $96,800•Onsite

About The Position

Parsons is seeking Research Assistants – Microbiology and Molecular Biology to support infectious-disease, genomics, and biosurveillance research at NMRC BDRD. These positions will provide hands-on laboratory support for sample processing, molecular and microbiological methods, sequencing workflows, and research documentation. Selected candidates will work with scientists, research associates, and bioinformatics personnel in a multidisciplinary Government laboratory environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in biology or a relevant biomedical-sciences field.
At least two years of relevant microbiology experience.
Practical laboratory skills and the ability to follow detailed research protocols.
Ability to maintain accurate laboratory and sample records.
Strong organizational, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work under deadlines in a research-laboratory environment.
Ability to adjust work hours occasionally for time-sensitive experiments.
Availability for domestic and international travel lasting up to two to four weeks.
U.S. citizenship due to federal contract requirements.
Ability to satisfy applicable background investigation, CAC, facility-access, and system-access requirements.

Nice To Haves

Experience with molecular biology, PCR, nucleic-acid extraction, or NGS workflows.
Experience with infectious-disease pathogens or biosurveillance.
Experience with clinical, environmental, wastewater, vector, animal, or bacteriophage samples.
Experience maintaining laboratory inventories and scientific records.
Experience supporting human-subject or animal-use research.
Experience in an NMRC, DoD, federal, academic, or public-health laboratory.
Experience traveling or working in resource-limited environments.
Current Government facility or system access.

Responsibilities

Perform routine microbiology and molecular-biology procedures under approved protocols.
Collect, receive, process, label, and track research samples.
Support nucleic-acid extraction, PCR, library preparation, sequencing, and quality-control activities.
Assist with clinical, environmental, wastewater, bacterial, viral, animal, vector, or bacteriophage samples as assigned.
Prepare reagents, media, supplies, and laboratory materials.
Operate and maintain laboratory equipment in accordance with SOPs.
Record experimental procedures, observations, results, and deviations accurately.
Maintain sample, reagent, supply, and equipment inventories.
Support protocol optimization, validation studies, and troubleshooting.
Assist with preparation of data summaries, reports, posters, presentations, and SOPs.
Follow laboratory safety, quality, data-handling, and research-compliance requirements.
Support domestic or international field and partner-laboratory activities when required.