Research Associate, Biology Fuqua Lab

Indiana University Bloomington; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

Indiana University Bloomington's Biology Department Fuqua Lab is seeking a Research Associate to contribute to our NIH-funded project on pterin-dependent regulation in proteobacterial systems. The role involves learning and applying molecular biology techniques, coordinating with collaborators, and supporting manuscript and grant reporting.

You will work in a collaborative, lab-wide setting with graduate students, a senior scientist, and undergraduates, contributing to experimental progress and

Qualifications

• Learning, conducting and teaching other lab members our key research protocols (DNA purification, cloning, sequencing, etc.).
• Managing pterin grant meetings and material exchanges between collaborating labs.
• Laboratory management and ordering; participation in general lab task rotations.

Responsibilities

• Learn and execute core protocols; contribute to manuscript preparation and grant reporting.
• Support lab operations, organize samples, maintain equipment and stock levels.
• Present research updates in lab meetings and contribute to team discussions.

Skills

Effective time management

Record keeping

Teamwork

Training & adaptability

Written & oral communication

Problem solving

Dependability & punctuality

Flexibility in tasks

Tools

Molecular biology

DNA sequencing

Aseptic technique

Data analysis & statistics

Job description

Title

Research Associate, Biology Fuqua Lab

Appointment Status

Non-Tenure Track

Department

IU Bloomington Biology

Location

Bloomington

Position Summary

The Department of Biology is a large, unified department withstrong undergraduate degrees, nationally-ranked graduate programs,and world-class research spanning the breadth of biologicalquestions and experimental systems – from ecosystems tomicrobiology and developmental biology, from evolution to cellbiology, from molecular biology to systems biology, bioinformatics,and genomics. It is always an exciting time for Biology – enormousadvances in global genome analysis coupled with unprecedenteddevelopments in interdisciplinary research have made the 21stcentury the Century of Biology. For more information about thedepartment, you can find it here: About: Department of Biology:Indiana University Bloomington.

The Fuqua Lab in the Department of Biology at IndianaUniversity, Bloomington is seeking a Research Associate.

Ourlab in the Microbiology section is focused on complex bacterialbehaviors, including biofilm formation and host interactions, usingthe plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens as a model.The overarching goal for this position is to make timely progresson our NIH grant entitled “Mechanisms of pterin-dependentregulation in proteobacterial systems” (Grant number R01 GM160733)which explores a new regulatory mechanism that controls biofilmformation we have discovered based on excreted metabolites calledpterins (for details see Greenwich et al. 2024; PNAS,doi:10.1073/pnas.2319903121). The Fuqua lab research team iscurrently comprised of graduate students, a senior researchscientist, and undergraduates. All members of our team contributeto the projects of other team members -this may include assistancewith a research protocol, feedback on presentations, edits onmanuscripts, and so on. The lab philosophy is that a collaborativeand supportive research environment benefits everyone involved. Weare seeking an individual to join this team, contribute to the labin general, and further the goals of the NIH grant.

Basic Qualifications

• Learning, conducting and teaching other lab members our key research protocols. In the lab, this will include: DNA purification, Molecular Cloning, GelElectrophoresis, DNA Sequencing, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Bacterial Transformation, Microbiological Cultivation, SDS - PAGE, Western Blotting.
• Management of pterin grant meetings and material exchanges between collaborating laboratories.
• Laboratory management and ordering.
• Participation in general laboratory task rotations.
• Written summaries of research (for annual grant reporting and for manuscript preparation), and research presentations (lab meetings, grant meetings, and conferences).

Required skills

• Effective time management
• Accurate and organized record keeping
• Ability to work in a team
• Receptivity to training and new techniques
• Proficiency in written and oral communication
• Problem solving and pro-active approach to preventingproblems
• Dependability and punctuality
• Flexibility for research tasks and prioritization ofexperiments.

Preferred skills

• Molecular biology experience
• DNA sequence analysis
• Aseptic technique and microbiology
• Familiarity with data analysis and statistics

Working conditions

Laboratory research with periods of intense focus and technical clarity. Organization, planning and record keeping for experiments are crucial and this work requires careful and deliberate effort. Effective communication between labmembers is critical.

Department Contact for Questions

For questions about the position, contact Clay Fuqua ([e-mail]).

Timing and compensation

Applicant review will begin on June 1,2026. The initial appointment is for one year, with reappointment contingent on performance and continued funding. Salary will be commensurate with experience and full benefits are included. Best consideration date is 6/16/26 and expected start date is7/1/26.

Best Consideration Date

06/16/2026

Expected Start Date

07/01/2026

Posting Number

IU-101580-2026