Microbiologist III

Microbiologist IIIIHRC, Inc. provides scientific, information management, management consulting, bioinformatics, and administrative program support to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other Federal and private sector clients. The successful candidate will be a full-time employee of IHRC, Inc., and will be assigned to the Laboratory Research Branch (LRB), National Hansen's Disease Program (NHDP), Healthcare Systems Bureau (HSB), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 1909 Skip Bertman Drive, Baton Rouge, Louisiana to provide support for the development and enhancement of the understanding of leprosy complex bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae [M. leprae] and M. lepromatosis).The Microbiologist III will provide research services to enhance the understanding of infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) and Mycobacterium lepromatosis (M. lepromatosis).Major Duties and ResponsibilitiesDesign and develop molecular assays to determine viability of leprosy complex bacteria from infected animal tissues. Applications shall include evaluation of fixation protocols (e.g., Ethanol, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded), purification of nucleic acids, quantitation of bacterial numbers, and expression of relevant genes.Perform various molecular assays on clinical biopsy samples from leprosy patients across the leprosy spectrum. Applications shall include refinement of established protocols to obtain optimum performance with human tissue samples.Design and perform experiments evaluating new anti-leprosy drugs and drug regimens utilizing the mouse footpad model of leprosy complex bacterial infection.Formulate complex hypotheses regarding the relationship of the host immune response with leprosy complex bacteria viability and the expression of bacterial or host genes in in-vitro culture and from infected tissues by using techniques like real-time PCR, whole genome sequencing and RNASeq.Design new primer/probe sets and assess their suitability for use as improved expression markers for detecting viable leprosy complex bacteria in clinical and experimental samples.Document all experimental procedures. Compile and analyze all experimental data.Synthesize information suitable for critical review and publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals.Maintain and submit written documentation/work products in the following formats:Word document: Reports and manuscripts for publication.Excel: Spreadsheets and Tables of experimental data.PowerPoint: Presentations for review of progress.Statistical Analysis Software (SAS): statistical analysis of data.Handwritten: Daily progress entries into laboratory notebook.Submit Monthly and Quarterly progress reports as follows:Monthly Reports: Provide a summary of the work completed during the month and shall include experiments performed, data collected, and interpretation of the data.Quarterly Reports: Provide a written report of the tasks completed during the quarter and present the data for discussion and planning of future directions.RequirementsMinimum QualificationsPh.D. degree in Animal Science, Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, or related discipline required, Master's degree preferredMinimum of 3 years of laboratory experience using molecular, immunological, and microbiology techniques.Experience developing, validating, implementing, and troubleshooting molecular-based assays.Experience working with pathogenic bacteria.Expert knowledge and ability to perform molecular techniques to include PCR, sequencing, basic gene cloning techniques, gene expression, bacterial growth, and gel electrophoresis.Demonstrated experience in the synthesis of laboratory data and development of new experiments to further a research goal/objective.Excellent skills in documentation, and knowledge of safety requirements for research being performed.Excellent written and verbal communication skills, for interaction with internal and external stakeholders.Experience with Microsoft Office, including demonstrated experience with Word, Excel and PowerPoint.Demonstrated experience in the statistical analysis of laboratory results, including the use of statistical analysis software such as SAS, SPSS, or similar.Demonstrated ability to work independently and yet maintain the flexibility to respond to requests for support of ongoing projects.DesirablePrevious experience working with leprosy complex bacteria (M. leprae and/or M. lepromatosis).Experience performing animal manipulations, including injection and dissection of major organs and tissue samples.Language SkillsThe candidate must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in EnglishRequirementMust be United States citizen or permanent resident or have authorization for employment in the United StatesSalaryCommensurate with qualifications and experience