research Scientist-Molecular Biologist
About The Position
In support of the Biomaterials Branch within the Foundational Technologies Directorate at the Air Force Research Laboratory, our multidisciplinary research team is seeking a versatile Research Scientist to support cutting-edge initiatives in biomaterials, protein engineering, biomanufacturing, and small molecule production. This role bridges standard microbiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. The successful candidate will independently perform BSL-2 laboratory research focused on microbial physiology, molecular cloning, pathway/protein engineering, and recombinant protein expression and purification. As research projects evolve, you will have opportunities to expand your skillset into novel biomaterials development, high-throughput screening, and advanced molecular characterization.
Requirements
- Ph.D degree or M.S with 2+ years of experience in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a closely related field.
- U.S. Citizenship is required due to government facility access requirements.
- Proven experience in aseptic culture techniques and maintaining bacterial and/or fungal isolates in a BSL-2 setting.
- Demonstrated proficiency in core molecular biology techniques (plasmid construction/cloning, nucleic acid isolation, PCR/qPCR).
- Proved proficiency in protein expression and purification.
- Strong quantitative analysis and experimental troubleshooting capabilities.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in biomanufacturing pipelines, small molecule expression, or biomaterials synthesis.
- Experience working with fungal biology, non-model organisms, or environmental microbial isolates.
- Advanced microscopy/imaging skills (e.g., Confocal, EM).
- Familiarity with laboratory automation systems or high-throughput assay development.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor junior laboratory members and manage multiple concurrent projects.
- Familiarity with bioreactor operation modes and during scale-up.
Responsibilities
- Design and execute molecular biology protocols including plasmid construction, cloning (Gibson, Golden Gate, Gateway, etc) recombinant expression, CRISPR/gene editing, nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) extraction, and target manipulation.
- Engineer proteins to optimize existing functions, alter performance parameters, or enable novel metabolic/biochemical functions for biomanufacturing and biomaterials applications.
- Perform upstream recombinant protein expression and downstream protein purification.
- Culture, isolate, and quantitatively monitor the growth of diverse bacterial and fungal strains in solid and liquid media using rigorous aseptic techniques in BSL-2 environments.
- Investigate genetic, biochemical, and physiological characteristics of standard and non-model microorganisms.
- Perform quantitative assays including PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR, ddPCR, fluorescence assays, and light or confocal microscopy.
- Support method development, media preparation, and routine laboratory maintenance.
- Maintain meticulous research records and follow standard/electronic laboratory notebook (ELN) documentation practices.
- Analyze complex biological data and troubleshoot experimental workflows, protocols, and equipment.
- Collaborate effectively across an interdisciplinary team of biologists, chemists, and computational scientists.
- Prepare data visualizations, figures, and technical reports for publications, client presentations, and conference dissemination.
Benefits
- medical
- dental
- vision
- 401K with company matching
- a 9/80 work schedule
- a paid holiday shutdown
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
