Research Associate - Microbiology

Baylor College of Medicine; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Baylor College of Medicine, in partnership with Texas Children's Hospital, seeks a Research Associate to perform complex, extended research in long-read sequencing, LC/MS-based metabolomics and proteomics, and medical metagenomics. Duties include planning experiments, analyzing data, and reporting findings under principal investigators.

The role supports laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, and budget tracking, with opportunities to contribute to publications and grants.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Basic Science or related field is required.
• Three years of relevant research experience (as RA/Technician/Postdoc).

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily laboratory operations and regulatory compliance.
• Performs long-read sequencing and data analysis for clinical applications.
• Conducts LC/MS-based metabolomics and proteomics workflows.
• Supports medical metagenomics and viral surveillance efforts.
• Trains staff on research techniques and equipment.

Skills

3 years research experience

Lab techniques

Education

Master's degree in Basic Science or related field

Job description

Job Title: Research Associate - Microbiology

Division: TCH Departments

Work Arrangement: Onsite only

Location: Houston, TX

Salary Range: $65,000 - $75,000

FLSA Status: Exempt

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Summary

Baylor College of Medicine, in partnership with the Department of Pathology and Immunology at Texas Children's Hospital, is seeking a Research Associate. Under the general direction of multiple Principal Investigators, this role performs complex, advanced research in long-read sequencing, LC/MS-based metabolomics and proteomics, and medical metagenomics. The Research Associate plans and conducts experiments, evaluates and analyzes data, develops specialized research techniques and applications, and documents and reports findings. Additional responsibilities may include conducting literature reviews, contributing to scientific publications and grant efforts, and training or coordinating less-experienced research staff. The position also supports laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, equipment maintenance, inventory management, purchasing, and budget tracking.

Job Duties

Laboratory Management (25%)

Supporting Dr. James Versalovic, Dr. Jennifer Spinler, and Dr. Thomas Horvath

• Manages protocol renewals, grant budgets, and summary reports.
• Manages service contracts, preventive maintenance agreements, and vendor relationships.
• Maintains chemical and bacterial strain inventories using internal systems and BCM-approved software.
• Coordinates biological strain requests and Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), ensuring compliance with institutional requirements for internal and external research collaborations.
• Trains personnel from multiple laboratory groups on research techniques and equipment.
• Oversees daily laboratory operations, equipment maintenance, and regulatory compliance.
• Ensures general laboratory maintenance, supply availability, inventory stocking, and media preparation.
• Performs purchasing activities for multiple PI-funded laboratories.
• Tracks laboratory expenses to ensure spending remains aligned with grant funding and annual departmental budgets.

Research (75%)

Long-Read Sequencing for Clinical Applications Principal Investigator: Dr. Jennifer Spinler

• Performs complex research to advance long-read sequencing for clinical applications, including pathogen identification and antimicrobial susceptibility profiling.
• Plans and executes research and development experiments and documents protocols, standard operating procedures (SOPs), results, and findings for the Principal Investigator.
• Performs all stages of long-read sequencing, including nucleic acid isolation from clinical specimens, library preparation, sequencing, and data analysis.
• Conducts parallel studies using clinical specimens to compare long-read sequencing performance with established short-read sequencing pipelines.
• Develops and improves experimental procedures and bioinformatics workflows for pathogen identification and antimicrobial resistance profiling.
• Presents research projects and findings at local meetings.
• Contributes to scientific publications and grant submissions.

LC/MS-Based Metabolomics and Proteomics Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas Horvath

• Prepares biospecimen extracts for targeted and non-targeted LC/MS bioanalysis.
• Builds sample batches and submits sample queues for bioanalysis.
• Uses LC/MS software to analyze datasets, identify metabolites, and investigate potential metabolic differences between control and treated samples.
• Performs peak selection, peak integration, and quantitative analysis of targeted and non-targeted metabolomics datasets and reports findings to the Principal Investigator.
• Prepares mobile phases, needle-wash solutions, and calibration standards according to established SOPs.
• Assists with the daily calibration, preventive maintenance, and operation of LC/MS instrumentation housed in the Virginia & L.E. Simmons Family Foundation Mass Spectrometry Laboratory within the Microbiome Center.
• Contributes to scientific publications and grant submissions.

Medical Metagenomics Principal Investigator: Dr. Ruth Ann Luna

• Supports viral surveillance efforts conducted by the Medical Metagenomics team.
• Receives and tracks clinical specimens and isolates total nucleic acid from clinical samples.
• Performs short-read sequencing to generate data for downstream viral pathogen identification.
• Ensures generated data are processed through established bioinformatics pipelines and provided to Dr. Spinler for analysis and reporting to Texas Children's leadership.
• Performs other job related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Basic Science or a related field. Experience in lieu of degree will not be accepted.
• Three years of relevant experience typically as a Research Assistant, Research Technician or Postdoctoral Fellow/Associate.

Work Authorization Requirement:

This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application and throughout the duration of employment.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.

Baylor College of Medicine fosters diversity among its students, trainees, faculty, and staff as a prerequisite to accomplishing our institutional mission and setting standards for excellence in training healthcare providers and biomedical scientists, promoting scientific innovation, and providing patient-centered care. Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.