RESEACH INTERN

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center is looking for a Research Intern to support the Feedstocks-to-Fuels Pipeline. You will work under Dr. Kyle Probst and conduct fermentation assays, manage biomass pretreatment, and contribute to innovative research projects.

This role demands a B.S. in a relevant STEM field and laboratory experience, with opportunities to engage in technical workflows and data analysis. Please send your cover letter and resume to Kyle Probst at [e-mail].

Qualifications

• At least one year of laboratory research experience.
• Foundational understanding of microbial physiology and fermentation kinetics.
• Demonstrated ability in technical communication.

Responsibilities

• Support the F2F Pipeline with biomass pretreatment protocols.
• Execute microbial fermentation assays and manage the lab workflows.
• Review and analyze experimental data for reports and publications.

Skills

Microbial culturing

Aseptic techniques

Data analysis and scripting (R, Python, MATLAB, JMP)

Scientific record-keeping

Data visualization (Excel/GraphPad)

Education

B.S. in Microbiology, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular & Cell Biology, Food Science, Data Science, or related STEM field

Tools

Excel

GraphPad

Job description

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)-funded research center led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Our mission is to develop economically viable and environmentally sustainable technologies for advanced biofuels and bioproducts.

The successful candidate will join the Experimental Fermentation Lab (EFL) under the mentorship of Dr. Kyle Probst. The EFL provides critical infrastructure for GLBRC research through the Feedstocks-to-Fuels (F2F) Pipeline, an integrated laboratory-scale process designed to deconstruct, hydrolyze, and ferment lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels.

Degree and Specialization

Required: B.S. in Microbiology, Biological Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular & Cell Biology, Food Science, Data Science, or a related STEM field.

At least one year of laboratory research experience involving microbial culturing, aseptic techniques, and standard biochemical assays.

Experience with data analysis and scripting (e.g., R, Python, MATLAB, or JMP) is highly preferred.

A foundational understanding of microbial physiology and fermentation kinetics.

Demonstrated ability in scientific record-keeping, data visualization (Excel/GraphPad), and technical communication.

The primary responsibilities of this research intern position are to support the F2F Pipeline by managing biomass pretreatment protocols and executing microbial fermentation assays. This role is designed as a pre-graduate internship, offering progressive training through an independent research project under the guidance of Dr. Probst and GLBRC co-investigators.

Additional duties & training opportunities may include:

• Perform technical workflows including aqueous ammonia pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and high-throughput fermentation.

Acquire fundamental skills in recombinant DNA technology and microbial strain characterization.

• Contribute to the development of algorithms for processing real-time fermentation data, predictive modeling, and database architecture.
• Review, analyze, and interpret experimental data for internal reports, peer-reviewed publications, and conference presentations.
• Support operations including media preparation, reagent formulation, and equipment maintenance.

Candidates must be self‑motivated with the interpersonal skills required for a collaborative laboratory environment. The role requires meticulous time management and a flexible schedule to accommodate the demands of working with microorganisms (including occasional non‑standard hours such as evenings and weekends).

Application Instructions

Please email a cover letter stating your interest in the position and current resume to Kyle Probst ([e-mail]).