Research Associate III – Microbial Omics

The Microbial Omics Collaborative (MOC) Innovation Lab at the Broad Institute is seeking a creative highly motivated and detail-oriented Research Associate III. The MOC Innovation Lab focuses on the development optimization scaling and implementation of innovative methods for generating high-throughput sequencing data and enabling experimental interrogation of diverse microorganisms in support of infectious disease and microbiome research.

The lab operates in a fast-paced environment that combines method development with large-scale production workflows processing a substantial number of samples across a wide range of sequencing and functional genomics applications. These include nucleic acid extractions from diverse sample types; RNA-Seq of isolates microbial communities and infected cells and tissues; and short- and long-read whole genome sequencing and metagenomics.

The successful candidate will play a central role in driving research and development efforts at the frontier of microbial genomics. Their primary focus will be developing and implementing platforms to render diverse clinical bacterial isolates genetically tractable and optimizing single cell sequencing workflows. The candidate will work collaboratively with scientific staff and external research partners to push the boundaries of what is experimentally achievable in model bacterial strains and clinically derived isolates taking meaningful ownership of method development projects from conception through implementation.

This position offers opportunities to build deep expertise in microbial genetics genomics and functional genomics technologies; take meaningful ownership of method development projects; and collaborate with world-class research and clinical faculty within a highly dynamic interdisciplinary setting.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

• Develop optimize and implement platforms and protocols that enable single-cell transcriptomics and genetic engineering in diverse bacteria.
• Collaborate with scientific staff project leads and external research partners to understand project goals and determine the most effective experimental approaches to achieve them
• Identify key limitations in existing tools and workflows devise and test innovative solutions and integrate improvements into established protocols and SOPs
• Stay current on emerging methodologies in microbial genetics functional genomics and single-cell approaches relevant to infectious disease research
• Perform basic bioinformatic analysis including sequencing data quality control to support project evaluation and troubleshooting
• Interact and coordinate with vendors to evaluate and incorporate commercially available reagents tools and equipment into method development efforts
• Contribute to lab sequencing workflows as needed including nucleic acid extraction and library preparation for Illumina and PacBio in support of broader project goals
• Maintain detailed experimental records SOPs and protocol documentation to ensure reproducibility and operational consistency
• Maintain accurate sample tracking and project organization across concurrent projects
• Assist with additional laboratory responsibilities as needed

QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Qualified candidates should possess a B.S. in microbiology biochemistry cell/molecular biology or related field with at least 5 years of related experience.

Experience

• Experience in a high-throughput laboratory is a plus.
• Knowledge of and experience with DNA and RNA extraction preferred.
• Proficiency in using tools such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets required.
• Familiarity and some experience with Unix command line and with using common computational tools for genomic and transcriptomic data analysis preferred.
• Excellent experimental skills and a strong background in the latest molecular biology and genomics methodologies.
• Excellent critical thinking analytical and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to interact with multidisciplinary staff in a fast-paced environment.