Senior Research Associate

University of Georgia; Kentucky; On-site; USD 58,500 - 71,500; Full time

Job summary

The University of Georgia is hiring a Senior Research Associate for the VPR-Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. This position requires a baccalaureate degree, with preference for a PhD in biochemistry or molecular biology. Responsibilities include designing, expressing, and characterizing recombinant proteins, supervising research staff, and preparing reports. An advertised salary of $65,000 is offered. Candidates with strong publication records and experience in personnel supervision are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree in an applicable field required.
• PhD in biochemistry and/or molecular biology preferred.
• Exceptional track record with first‑author publications.

Responsibilities

• Design and construct recombinant proteins and glycoenzymes.
• Supervise technicians and students in research tasks.
• Prepare detailed project reports for distribution.

Skills

Recombinant protein expression

Protein purification

Molecular biology techniques

Supervision and mentoring

Education

Baccalaureate degree in an applicable field

PhD in biochemistry and/or molecular biology

Job description

Senior Research Associate

Senior Research Associate position in the VPR-Complex Carbohydrate Research Center at the University of Georgia. Advertised Salary: $65,000.

Minimum Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree in an applicable field.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in biochemistry and/or molecular biology.
• Exceptional track record with first‑author publications supporting expertise in recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells and bacteria, including protein purification, characterization, and enzymatic assays.
• Experience with personnel supervision in a research environment.

Position Summary

The successful candidate will design, construct, express, purify, and characterize recombinant proteins and glycoenzymes, supervise staff, prepare reports, and coordinate with external collaborators.

Duties / Responsibilities

Oversight, Design, and Generation of Glycoenzyme Expression Constructs

• Design recombinant expression constructs for a large library of glycoenzymes, using computational analysis of modeled protein structures and applying protein engineering strategies.
• Plan and execute site‑directed mutagenesis, domain swapping, and construct optimization to yield broad substrate and activity ranges.
• Develop and document experimental protocols for cloning, expression, and characterization of glycoenzymes, maintaining accurate and reproducible workflows.
• Evaluate protein models and predict structure–function relationships to prioritize constructs.
• Troubleshoot construct design issues, incorporating feedback from initial expression and activity results to refine and improve enzyme design.

Oversight and Execution of Protein Purification and Characterization

• Oversee and perform large‑scale expression and purification of recombinant proteins in various host systems (E. coli, mammalian cells), troubleshooting issues in yield, solubility, and purity.
• Conduct detailed biophysical and enzymatic analyses (SDS‑PAGE, thermal stability, enzyme assays, kinetic profiling), characterizing both wild‑type and engineered enzyme forms for activity and stability.
• Optimize purification protocols (affinity, size‑exclusion) for recovery of active recombinant proteins, including scaling up for preparative purposes.
• Analyze and interpret kinetic parameters (Km, Vmax, turnover number) for multiple substrates to generate comparative data sets for enzyme variants.
• Document experimental outcomes, maintaining accurate lab records and preparing technical summaries.

Supervision and Mentoring

• Directly supervise research technicians, graduate and undergraduate students, assigning tasks, setting priorities, and monitoring progress related to enzyme expression projects.
• Develop training materials and provide hands‑on instruction, ensuring junior staff and trainees are proficient in molecular biology, protein expression, and analytical methods.
• Facilitate regular check‑ins and constructive feedback sessions, mentoring trainees and fostering a collegial, high‑performance group culture.
• Organize and lead project meetings for supervised staff, clarifying goals, troubleshooting experiments, and resolving challenges as they arise.

Project Reporting and Communication

• Prepare detailed written reports summarizing project status, challenges, milestones, and recent findings for distribution to the PI, collaborators, and funding bodies.
• Present project progress and troubleshoot issues at weekly laboratory meetings, using data visualizations and oral communication skills to clearly communicate complex results.
• Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts, grant applications, and presentations for scientific conferences, as required by the PI.

Coordination with External Collaborators

• Coordinate experimental efforts and timelines with outside collaborative partners, including academic and industry groups.
• Prepare and ship samples (proteins, constructs, data) according to collaboration agreements, ensuring compliance with shipping regulations and quality standards.
• Draft and review collaborative reports summarizing shared results and experimental findings.
• Serve as the primary contact for collaborators, responding to technical questions, coordinating material transfers, and ensuring joint objectives are met.

Contact Information

Recruitment Contact: Kristie Huff ([e-mail])