Research Support Specialist

Research Support Specialist

The Research Support Specialist (RSS) position will be responsible for providing support to research programs over a capability area centered on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) for Department of Defense (DoD) and U.S. Government (USG) sponsors, in both field and laboratory settings. Responsibilities will include working with a multidisciplinary team that develops and tests novel materials, methods, and systems for chemical and biological defense applications. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE) position that will be based out of our Melbourne, Florida office, along with local USG facilities, as required by contract requirements. You will be expected to work mainly in a laboratory/office environment. The expected split between the two locations will be 70% government facility and 30% NSRI offices. Currently, there is no remote or work from home capabilities for this role. Secondary places of duty and travel requirements will be based on contractual, and project needs and may include NSRI facilities in Fredericksburg, Virginia and Annapolis Junction, Maryland. Periodical travel to NSRI and University of Nebraska facilities and campuses in Nebraska is also anticipated. This position is part of a government-funded project, and employment is contingent upon continued customer funding and performance. Priority Consideration: In alignment with our commitment to staff development and internal mobility, current NSRI employees will be given priority consideration for this vacancy, provided they meet the minimum qualifications. Internal candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct research following test plans and protocols for CBRN research efforts.
• Carry out quality control and assurance protocols for CBRN research efforts.
• Assist in the development of CBRN research, development, and testing capabilities at both NSRI and partner facilities to aid in the building of long-term strategic resources as well as the facilitation of immediate project needs.
• Manage day-to-day tasks for maintaining laboratory operations.
• Maintain proper laboratory documentation.
• Participate as a member of a team to accomplish all stated and implied project related tasks.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Biochemistry, or a related field.
• Experience in microbiology specifically with spore forming bacteria.
• Self-motivated and able to manage themselves and coordinate task scheduling in accordance with work priorities.
• Knowledge of laboratory operations, including environmental health and safety procedures.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• At least one year of experience in following molecular protocols and conducting experiments in a laboratory environment.
• At least one year of experience working as a part of a team in a biological and/or chemical laboratory environment.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Desired Qualifications

• Two or more years of experience in molecular techniques in PCR and Next Gen Sequencing (Illumina based platforms)
• Two or more years of experience in following protocols and conducting experiments in a laboratory environment.
• Two or more years of experience working as a part of a team in a biological and chemical laboratory environment.
• Experience in Bioinformatic analysis of next-generation sequencing data sets with commercial software (i.e. Qiagen CLC Genomics Workbench)
• Microbial culture techniques, Aseptic technique, Gram staining and microscopy, Bacterial, fungal, and viral identification methods, sterilization and contamination control procedures
• Laboratory equipment such as incubators, autoclaves, centrifuges, PCR systems, and biosafety cabinets
• Experience in conducting experiments in a Biosafety level (BSL)-2 and BSL-3 microbiology and cell culture laboratories.
• Master of Science in Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a related field.
• Current DoD security clearance.