Research Scientist II

Akima, LLC•Madison, OH

90d•Onsite

About The Position

Akima Systems Engineering (ASE), an Akima company, is hiring a Research Scientist II in Madison, Wisconsin, to collaborate with government scientists and team members on research into wildlife vaccines. The work supports the National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC), a USGS science center focused on wildlife disease detection, control, and prevention. Research programs address vaccines for diseases in wild bats, including white-nose syndrome (WNS) and rabies. The role leads research to assess the impact of WNS vaccination and the feasibility of rabies vaccination for vampire bats, and to develop hands-off methods for deploying vaccines. The work involves coordinating with state and federal partners and nongovernmental organizations on vaccine deployment at selected sites and monitoring population impacts against untreated sites. The scientist designs and conducts laboratory and field experiments, generates and analyzes data, documents study progress and conclusions, and collaborates with USGS scientists on data collection, analysis, and report products. The position also includes producing vaccine lots and maintaining quality controls; preparing proposals, manuscripts, presentations, and reports; training and supervising others; and maintaining laboratory equipment, supplies, records, and safety standards. Work is performed within established written guidelines and applicable scientific practices, quality assurance standards, and a Quality Management System.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship and ability to pass a thorough state and federal background check, including criminal and financial checks.
Ph.D. in a science-related discipline.
3–4 years of experience.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and computer skills.
Experience leading roles in laboratory or field research projects.
Experience planning and executing experiments and research and summarizing findings in reports.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and conduct of scientific experiments, generate scientific data, and analyze data to support experimental conclusions.
Document experimental designs, hypotheses, results, conclusions, and progress toward task accomplishment.
Collaborate with USGS staff and scientists to collect data, perform analyses, and write and publish USGS report products in accordance with fundamental science practices and quality assurance standards.
Conduct laboratory studies of fungal pathogens, including those that cause bat white-nose syndrome and snake fungal disease.
Conduct laboratory and field studies using experience, judgment, and innovation.
Produce vaccine lots and supervise others in vaccine production, testing, and maintenance of quality control standards.
Serve as a liaison to the USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other state and federal agencies regarding vaccine distribution and application to mitigate WNS in bats.
Prepare funding proposals, manuscripts for publication, and presentations for scientific meetings and government and nongovernment partners.
Lead studies on the impact of WNS vaccination and the feasibility of rabies vaccination for vampire bats.
Test hands-off methods of vaccine deployment.
Create, edit, and follow standard operating procedures; maintain a detailed laboratory notebook; and follow Quality Management System guidelines.
Operate laboratory equipment, including balances, centrifuges, microscopes, incubators, shakers, pipettes, thermal cyclers, and spectrophotometers.
Train and supervise others in animal trapping and handling, sample collection, and laboratory sample analyses.
Assemble, evaluate, and analyze data for scientifically appropriate presentations, reports, and publications.
Maintain laboratory supplies and equipment and ensure laboratory safety standards are met.