The Department of Laboratory Medicine serves as a regional resource for clinical laboratory services required for patient care, research and educational programs in laboratory medicine. The department now employs 1400 people who work at the award-winning University of Washington Medical Center (ranked among the top medical centers in the United States as rated by U.S. News & World Report), Harborview Medical Center (the region's only Level I Trauma center, known for innovations and excellence in trauma care and its centers of emphasis: Trauma, Burn, Neurosciences, AIDS/STD CARER, and mentally- and medically- vulnerable populations.), and many other clinical and research facilities in the area. The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement and natural beauty.

The Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology department has an outstanding opportunity for a RESEARCH ENGINEER/SCIENTIST 4 (FULL-TIME, DAY-SHIFT)

RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Research Scientist 4 will collaborate with Dr. Alex Greninger to conceive and develop projects and plans for understanding viral replication, viral-host protein-protein interactions, drug efficacy, viral evolution, and viral genome sequencing fields, and subsequent performance of assays and/or direction of technical personnel.

Creation and optimization of metagenomic next-generation sequencing libraries for unbiased pathogen detection and viral genome recovery. Genome finishing of novel viruses, including optimization of high-throughput methods.

Development of next-generation sequencing analysis pipelines for taxonomical analysis and viral genome visualization.

Development of phage display serological profiling tools to investigate high-resolution interrogation of serological response, including creation of analysis tools.

Perform high-level viral culture in novel culture models and reverse genetics work, analyze data compile results and draft reports for incoming research awards and contracts

Supervise and analyze quantitative viral load determination using RT-qPCR, qPCR, ddPCR, including optimization of new assays

Supervise performance of molecular procedures including but not limited to real-time PCR, Sanger sequencing, PCR product detection DNA sequencing and next generation sequencing;

Perform work accurately, precisely and meet test completion deadlines;

Maintain complete, accurate, legible, secure records. Thoroughly document any modifications using appropriate document and version control.

Analyze experimental data and report to the Director and Lab Supervisor; determine what modifications and follow-up experiments are necessary to generate relevant data;

Identify long and short-term goals; initiate research program/projects;

Contribute technical knowledge when initiating new projects to determining feasibility of goals and objectives of the study;

Contribute data and analyses for grant submissions;

Perform preliminary experiments for assay development;

Work with R, python, Geneious, Excel, and bash command line;

Accommodate schedule changes to cooperatively accomplish required daily work, coordinate with Laboratory supervisor/manager;

Collaborate with research team to create opportunities and ancillary research projects to enhance technical assay methodology or content through the expansion of existing or development of new projects;

Review the scientific process of each research project, analyze issues, understand scientific procedures and statistical analysis; report data using graphs and charts;

Provide ongoing feedback; identify development opportunities and actively solicit input on work methods;

Prepare manuscripts for publication;

Perform other duties as required.

REQUIREMENTS:

Education requirement, minimum: Doctorate in Microbiology/Biological Sciences or closely related field, or relevant equivalent experience.

Experience requirement, minimum: At least four years in related area or equivalent combination of education/experience in collaborative project design and understanding of basic viral biology.

Strong written and communication skills.

Ability to problem-solve and troubleshoot.