Molecular Biologist

Role: Assist with field and laboratory research studies to improve our understanding and management of mesophotic and deep benthic communities in coastal regions of importance to NOAA. Provide professional, technical, lab and informatics services associated with the husbandry and molecular biology of mesophotic corals. Duties will include the extraction, quantification of nucleic acids, construction of DNA libraries for sequencing, analysis and interpretation of data, and assisting in the maintenance of the laboratory and upkeep of aquaria. Coordinate with federal, academic, and NGO partners to meet the objectives of mesophotic and deep benthic communities restoration, specifically the projects in habitat assessment and coral propagation. Engage with graduate and undergraduate students to develop and execute experiments in the lab and in the field.

Responsibilities:

• Prepare coral and water samples for molecular analysis; log data into paper and digital forms according to established procedures
• Subsample tissue from invertebrate specimens, extract and quantify nucleic acids.
• Construct libraries for DNA sequencing and prepare for shipment to sequencing facilities.
• Document all lab work and order supplies as needed and when required, troubleshoot relevant laboratory steps to ensure that the optimal amount of good quality data is retrieved for the project.
• Assist lab management, inc. safety protocols, purchasing of equipment and supplies, sample inventory and maintenance; shipping and receiving preserved material
• Assist with field-based sample collections at sea; preserve materials according to standard protocols; build and improve upon protocols as necessary
• Assist with sample processing, image processing, microscopy, genetics, document preparation, data management and reporting
• Assist with management of the tissue sample inventory on-site, including physical samples in preservative; and online inventory of sample materials, update spreadsheets, conduct routine QA/QC to verify data quality and accuracy
• Support stakeholder engagement through regular contacts with partners, and active participation in regular meetings, on a weekly basis, both on-site and virtual
• Apply knowledge, skills and experience with data visualization to development of peer-reviewed publications, high quality scientific graphics, and professional presentations. Contribute text, figures and tables to these documents
• Routinely solicit review of materials by staff partners and supervisors for a continued process of improvement in procedures and data quality

Required experience:

• Master's degree in biological or related sciences
• Demonstrated experience in the application of molecular techniques
• Experience in construction of DNA libraries
• 3-5 years' laboratory experience

Preferred experience:

• Author of peer-reviewed, published research
• Experience in the operation of an Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencer
• Experience coding in Python
• Familiar with data visualization software, and image annotation software
• Familiar with benthic ecosystems and principles of marine ecology

CSS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer who provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or genetic information. In addition to federal law requirements, CSS complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.