Microbiologist I
JOB TITLE: Microbiologist I
POSITION NUMBER: 2407-80002-M-I-3
POSITION LOCATION: Baton Rouge, LA, USA
ANTICIPATED START DATE: Two weeks after candidate selection
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 to provide support for the development and enhancement of the understanding of leprosy complex bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae [M. leprae] and M. lepromatosis).
SCOPE OF WORK
The Microbiologist I will provide support for the development of molecular assays to determine the viability of leprosy complex bacteria in various sample matrices.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provide expertise in preparing complex culture media designed for various in vitro tissue and microbial cultures.
- Conduct purification procedures for proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and/or other cellular components from complex biological extracts of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
- Perform complex enzymatic reactions to splice DNA into cloning vectors.
- Perform DNA and RNA purification following PCR amplification for DNA analysis using agarose and polyacrylamide gels and automated DNA sequencing.
- Perform nucleic acid quantitation using UV spectrophotometry.
- Perform animal manipulations on armadillos (100 - 250), conventional mice (1000), knockout mice (750), and transgenic nude mice (350 - 700) to include injection and dissection of major organs and tissue samples for subsequent analysis of immune responses and genotyping leprosy complex bacteria.
- Provide assistance in technical design of experiments.
- Provide documentation and interpretation of data.
- Submit Monthly and Quarterly progress reports.