Post-Doctoral Research Scientist - Infectious Disease Assay Development

Zymo Research; Irvine, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance

401(K) with matching

Employee Referral Bonus

Catered lunches on Thursdays

EV Charging

Job summary

Zymo Research in Irvine, CA invites a Post-Doctoral Research Scientist to advance infectious disease assay development from concept to real-world application. You will design, optimize, and validate PCR- and NGS-based workflows, contributing to product development and cross-functional collaboration.

Lead experiments, analyze data, and communicate results in technical reports and conference presentations. A PhD in molecular biology or a related field with at least one first-author publication is

Qualifications

• Requires a PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, or a related field, with at least one first-author publication.
• Hands-on experience designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting PCR-based assays, including primer/probe design.
• NGS-based assay development and data analysis experience is a plus.
• Experience in infectious disease, virology, microbiomics, or microbiology is preferred but not required.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, analyze, interpret, and troubleshoot experiments supporting infectious disease assay development.
• Design and optimize PCR primers/probes and NGS-based workflows for sensitive, specific detection of infectious agents.
• Develop, optimize, and validate assays and workflows end-to-end, including sample prep and nucleic acid extraction.
• Stay current with literature and emerging technologies to inform assay design and troubleshooting.
• Communicate results and contribute ideas to plan future project directions.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, marketing, commercialization, and business development to advance projects.
• Establish and maintain collaborations with outside scientists and key opinion leaders.
• Maintain accurate documentation compliant with quality and regulatory standards.
• Author technical reports, white papers, publications, and conference presentations.

Skills

PCR primer design

NGS data analysis

Molecular biology

Collaborative work

Mentoring

Education

PhD in molecular biology

Tools

PCR workflows

NGS workflows

Job description

Post-Doctoral Research Scientist - Infectious Disease Assay Development

As a Post-Doctoral Research Scientist at Zymo Research, you will develop innovative infectious disease molecular assays from concept to completion, advancing Zymo’s infectious disease product portfolio. You will conceptualize, design, perform, and optimize laboratory experiments supporting PCR- and NGS-based assay development, and contribute to related activities such as business development, marketing, product development, and networking, as needed.

As a Post-Doctoral Research Scientist at Zymo Research, you will lead and/or collaborate with a talented, multidisciplinary team of scientists and researchers developing tools that shape the biomedical industry, innovating, developing, and delivering PCR- and NGS-based infectious disease assays from early development through real-world application. As a Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, you will contribute to Zymo’s strategic planning and be encouraged to explore new ideas as we navigate this highly competitive field. Zymo Research offers tremendous room for growth as we continue to explore new directions and expand.

Join us in making a meaningful impact!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, execute, analyze, interpret, and troubleshoot experiments supporting infectious disease assay development.
• Design and optimize PCR primers/probes and NGS-based workflows for sensitive, specific detection of infectious agents.
• Develop, optimize, and validate assays and workflows end-to-end, including sample preparation and nucleic acid extraction.
• Stay current with scientific literature and emerging technologies in infectious disease diagnostics to inform assay design and troubleshooting.
• Effectively communicate results, contribute original ideas, and help plan future project directions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including manufacturing, marketing, commercialization, and business development, to advance projects and support technology transfer.
• Establish and maintain collaborations with outside scientists and key opinion leaders relevant to projects.
• Maintain accurate, complete documentation of experiments and results in compliance with applicable quality and regulatory standards.
• Author technical reports, white papers, scientific publications, and conference presentations to communicate findings internally and externally.

Additional Responsibilities

• Train and mentor junior employees.

Education and Experience:

• Requires a PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, or a related field, with at least one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Strong background in molecular biology, with hands-on experience designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting PCR-based assays, including primer/probe design. NGS-based assay development and data analysis experience is a plus.
• Experience in infectious disease, virology, microbiomics, or microbiology preferred, but not required.
• Candidate should have good knowledge of both basic and the latest nucleic acid analysis methodologies, including PCR, qPCR, multiplex PCR, and NGS.
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools and NGS data analysis pipelines is a plus.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across diverse teams; open, customer-focused communication style.
• Highly flexible and results-oriented, able to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

About Us:

Since its inception in 1994, Zymo Research has been proudly serving the scientific community by providing innovative, reliable, and high-quality research tools and products. Whether it's DNA, RNA, epigenetics, microbiomics, protein, or yeast-based research, our philosophy remains the same: To provide the highest quality products in the industry while ensuring they are both simple to use and reliable in their performance.

Recognized as a Top Workplace by the Orange County Register in 2021, 2022, and named a Top Workplace USA in 2023, Zymo Research continues to be a vibrant community where employees thrive, feel connected, and are inspired by their work. If you are passionate about contributing to scientific advancement and want to be part of an exceptional team in a dynamic, growing company, we'd love to hear from you!

Compensation, Benefits, and Perks:

The estimated base compensation range for this position is $85,000-100,000 at the time of posting. Actual compensation details will be provided in writing at the time of offer, if applicable, and is based on several factors we believe fairly and accurately impact compensation, including geographic location, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job permitted factors.

Zymo Research also offers competitive benefits and perks including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Coverages
• EAP Sessions
• Generous 401(K) with matching
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Complimentary fruit, snacks, and beverages
• Complimentary catered lunches on Thursdays
• Complimentary EV Charging
• Cell phone stipend

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:

Zymo Research welcomes candidates of all backgrounds. These include sex, age, color, race, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical & mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, or any other protected status as defined by federal, state, or local law.

Location:

Onsite – Zymo Research HQ - 17062 Murphy Ave, Irvine, CA, 92614