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Microbiologist III

JOB TITLE: Microbiologist III
POSITION NUMBER: 2103-1371600-M-III-3
POSITION LOCATION: Baton Rouge, LA, USA
ANTICIPATED START DATE: As soon as possible
TRAVEL: As required to fulfill the responsibilities of the position
IHRC, 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 provide support for the enhancement of the understanding of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae).
SCOPE OF WORK
The Microbiologist III will provide support for the enhancement of the understanding of Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae).
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Design and develop molecular assays to determine viability of leprosy complex bacteria from infected mouse 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.
  • Evaluate molecular viability assays on clinical biopsy samples from leprosy patients across the leprosy spectrum, before and after treatment with leprosy multidrug therapy. 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 genes in in-vitro culture and from infected tissues.
  • 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.
  • Submit Monthly and Quarterly progress reports.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience:
  • Ph.D., M.D., D.V.M. or earned doctorate degree in Animal Science, Biology, Microbiology, Infectious Diseases or related discipline required.
Required:
  • Knowledge of molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology, and/or immunology required.
  • Must possess advanced training related to project objectives and be capable of adapting to changing conditions presented by new results.
  • Experience involving standard microbiology and molecular biology laboratory techniques, including PCR.
  • 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 Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft PowerPoint.
Desirable:
  • Previous experience working with M. leprae
  • Previous experience working with the mouse footpad model of leprosy complex bacterial infection.
  • Experience with the design and development of molecular assays to determine bacterial viability from infected tissue.
  • Ability to work independently and yet maintain the flexibility to respond to requests for support of ongoing projects.
  • Previous experience working with SAS.
Language Skills:
  • The candidate must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English  
REQUIREMENT:
  • Must be United States citizen or permanent resident or have authorization for employment in the United States
SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience
To apply for this position:
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IHRC, INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. It is the policy of IHRC, Inc. to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, citizenship, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, veteran or disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law, and to take affirmative action in accordance with applicable laws and Executive Orders.