Supervisor, Research Associate

BioSpace; Frederick (MD); On-site; USD 78,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

The Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate at Leidos Frederick National Laboratory seeks a Lead/Supervisor, Research Associate to help develop validated serology and cellular immunity assays for clinical trials. You will supervise a laboratory team, standardize assays, and support sample testing across multiple studies.

The role emphasizes GCLP/GLP‑compliant practices, data integrity, and collaboration with cross‑functional teams in a fast‑paced, mission‑driven environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or six years relevant experience
• 4+ years progressively responsible experience; 1 year in a leadership role
• Deep knowledge of influenza immunology and viral immunology
• Experience in development, validation and implementation of advanced immunological assays
• Experience with flow cytometry and high‑dimensional data analysis
• Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance

Responsibilities

• Oversee laboratory projects from conception to execution
• Develop, validate, and implement multiplex-based assays and antibody-based serology assays
• Manage sample inventory and use LIMS for tracking
• Plan experiments and test large numbers of clinical samples
• Design protocols and troubleshoot assays independently
• Prepare data analyses and maintain databases with R/Python

Skills

Leadership

Lab management

Immunology

Data analysis

Experimental design

Scientific communication

Education

Master’s degree in a relevant field

Six years relevant experience in lieu of degree

Tools

LIMS

Master Control

Luminex

Job description

Job ID: req4693
Employee Type: exempt full-time
Division: Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate
Facility: Frederick: ATRF
Location: 8560 Progress Dr, Frederick, MD 21701 USA
The Frederick National Laboratory is operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. The lab addresses some of the most urgent and intractable problems in the biomedical sciences in cancer and AIDS, drug development and first-in-human clinical trials, applications of nanotechnology in medicine, and rapid response to emerging threats of infectious diseases.

Accountability, Compassion, Collaboration, Dedication, Integrity and Versatility; it's the FNL way.

Program Description

The Vaccine, Immunity and Cancer Directorate (VICD) has a primary mission to provide scientific leadership and laboratory infrastructure to study immune responses to Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and other cancer preventive strategies in the context of preclinical and clinical studies. As of recent and part of a large effort, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL) and other stakeholders are evaluating new vaccines with durable protection for influenza virus. VICD is leading the development of immunoassays with the highest reproducibility, sensitivity, and specificity for evaluation of immune responses against the virus and vaccine. VICD is recruiting for a Lead, Research Associate to work in a new high impact laboratory that will develop and implement validated immunoassays to be utilized in clinical trial studies, within an internationally recognized research directorate. The ideal candidate will have prior experience working under the Good Clinical Laboratory Practices, with deep understanding of the immunology of influenza viruses or other respiratory viruses, infections and vaccines. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape new scientific directions within a mission-driven environment that integrates new assay development, translational research and clinical evaluation of new preventive strategies.

Key Roles/Responsibilities

The Vaccine, Immunity, and Cancer Directorate (VICD) is recruiting for a Lead/Supervisor, Research Associate, reporting to the Scientific Manager, assisting with managing a laboratory team and support the development, standardization, and validation of multiple new serology and cellular immunity assays, and conduct sample testing for critical trials. This position is a laboratory position.

• Oversee laboratory projects from conception to execution
• Develop and validate Multiplex based assays by Luminex or other platform and Antibody Dependent Cytotoxicity Assays
• Responsible for sample management and inventory using laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
• Develop, optimize, and validate procedures and methodologies for assessment of immune responses to infections and vaccines
• Plan experiments and conduct testing of large number of samples from clinical studies, support Scientific Manager in scheduling staff for testing
• Design and implement protocols (literature searches as required), as well as troubleshoot assays and experiments independently and assist laboratory staff to advance the experiments or studies
• Evaluate, analyze and compile large sets of data using data analysis software (or other scripts such as R or Python, etc.), and maintain databases
• Responsible for routine QC/QA procedures and maintaining equipment under
• Good Clinical Laboratory Practices
• Manage laboratory supplies and inventory, ensuring minimal impact to workflow
• Prepare reports, present data and participate in report and proposal preparation
• Contribute or write SOPs or protocols in Master Control
• Utilize Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for laboratory operation
• Remain current knowledge of emerging relevant scientific literature and immune profiling technologies and laboratory techniques
• Ensures assay rigor, reproducibility, and compliance with GCLP/GLP standards where applicable
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

• Possession of Master’s degree from an accredited college/university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or six (6) years relevant experience in lieu of degree. Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
• In addition to the education requirement, a minimum of four (4) years of progressively responsible experience, including one (1) years of experience in a leadership/manager capacity of full-time staff
• Deep knowledge of influenza immunology in particular, and viral immunology
• Proven ability to independently design, execute, and troubleshoot complex experiments
• Experience in development, validation and implementation of advanced immunological assays, specifically Multiplex platforms (e.g. Lumines), and including ELISA and antibody-based serological assays, such as for avidity and isotype characterization, using high-throughput immunogenicity testing systems
• Experience in performing T-cell and B-cell epitope mapping and T-cell and B-cell functional analyses, using multi-color flow cytometry and other technologies. Proficiency in multicolor or spectral flow cytometry, including panel design, acquisition, and high-dimensional analysis.
• Experience in cellular and molecular biological techniques, including tissue culture, including aseptic techniques, cell line maintenance, production of plasmids and virus-like particles, western-blot, virus neutralizing assays, plaque assays, and PCR
• Flexibility to adopt new emerging techniques and technologies and to troubleshoot effectively
• Ability to work independently and deliver high-quality, consistent results in a timely fashion, prioritize multiple projects effectively and meet timelines successfully
• Experience with managing and analyzing large data sets and ability to understand, interpret, and communicate complex scientific data
• Excellent record keeping and organizational skills
• Exceptional critical thinking and commitment to scientific rigor and reproducibility
• Excellent communication and presentation skills (written and oral), with proficiency in Word, Excel, PPT
• Experience working with LIMS and Master Control (or other electronic documentation system)
• Ability to obtain and maintain security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

• Possession of a Ph.D. in Virology, Molecular Biology, Microbiology
• Three to five (3-5) years of managerial experience in a GCLP/GLP/GCP laboratory
• Experience supporting immunology components of clinical trials, including multi-omics projects
• Familiarity with integrated immune profiling approaches combining serological, cellular, and molecular data
• Experience with robotics and electronic documentation systems and LIMS
• Familiarity with human research subject requirements and regulations

JOB HAZARDS

• Work may involve the use of potentially hazardous chemical or biological materials or may be located in areas where such materials are used.
• This position is subject to working with or has the potential for exposure to infectious material, requiring medical clearance and immunizations.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, color, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.

Pay And Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here

77,600.00 - 113,600.00 USD

The posted pay range for this job is a general guideline and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include, but are not limited to, responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as internal equity, and alignment with market data.

The salary range posted is a full-time equivalent salary and will vary depending on scheduled hours for part time positions