Junior Microbiologist - Fermentation & Data

Precise Systems; Maryland; On-site; USD 57,000 - 74,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plans

Holiday pay

Professional growth opportunities

STAR Award program

Job summary

Precise Systems seeks an Associate Microbiologist to support laboratory activities validating and optimizing bacterial strains for production of specified molecules. You will perform routine microbiology and bench-scale fermentation, document data, and assist in evaluating growth conditions and production costs.

The role requires in-person work, a Bachelor's in a related field, and entry-level experience. The company highlights comprehensive benefits, a STAR Award program, and security clearance

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in microbiology, biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or a closely related field.
• 0-2 years' experience with the duties above
• Coursework, research, internship, or laboratory experience involving microbiology, molecular biology, biotechnology, fermentation, or related disciplines.
• Basic knowledge of bacterial culture techniques, aseptic practices, and laboratory safety principles.
• Ability to follow detailed written and verbal instructions and perform work in accordance with established procedures.
• Ability to maintain accurate, complete, and organized laboratory records.
• Basic ability to use spreadsheets and other common software to organize and present technical data.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate observations, results, and potential issues to senior staff.

Responsibilities

• Culture, maintain, label, store, and preserve bacterial strains using established laboratory procedures.
• Prepare culture media, buffers, reagents, standards, and laboratory consumables.
• Perform routine aseptic techniques, including inoculation, plating, dilution, colony isolation, and culture monitoring.
• Assist with strain-validation experiments under established protocols and supervisory direction.
• Support operation and monitoring of bench-scale fermentation reactors up to 3 liters.
• Record fermentation conditions and observations, including temperature, pH, agitation, aeration, dissolved oxygen, sampling times, and culture appearance.
• Collect process samples and perform routine assays to measure bacterial growth, culture health, substrate use, and target-molecule output.
• Enter, organize, check, and summarize experimental data in laboratory notebooks, spreadsheets, and approved electronic systems.
• Assist senior staff with data review, preparation of graphs and tables, and identification of trends in growth and production performance.
• Support comparisons of media formulations, process conditions, and material use to help estimate laboratory-scale production costs.
• Clean, inspect, and assist with routine maintenance of laboratory equipment, glassware, fermentation systems, and work areas.
• Maintain inventory of reagents, media components, consumables, and bacterial stocks; notify the supervisor of supply needs.
• Follow approved standard operating procedures, laboratory safety requirements, biosafety practices, chemical hygiene procedures, and waste-disposal requirements.
• Participate in training, demonstrate increasing technical independence, and complete developmental assignments as directed.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the developmental nature of the position.

Skills

Aseptic technique

Laboratory safety

Record keeping

Teamwork

Communication

Spreadsheets

Education

Bachelor's degree in microbiology or related field

Tools

Spreadsheets

Electronic lab notebooks

Job description

Precise Systems seeks an Associate Microbiologist to support laboratory activities validating and optimizing bacterial strains for production of specified molecules. You will perform routine microbiology and bench-scale fermentation, document data, and assist in evaluating growth conditions and production costs.

The role requires in-person work, a Bachelor's in a related field, and entry-level experience. The company highlights comprehensive benefits, a STAR Award program, and security clearance