Senior Research Associate

Senior Research Associate

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

• Baccalaureate degree in an applicable field.

• 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.

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

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.

Recruitment Contact:
Kristie Huff (kghuff)