Staff Scientist II

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The Chemical Metabolism Core is seeking a highly motivated and experienced analytical chemist/mass spectrometrist to join our team. The successful candidate will play a critical role in developing, validating, and applying targeted and untargeted LC‑MS/MS methods (including stable isotope tracing, metabolomics, and lipidomics) to support internal and external research projects across diverse disease areas. This position is primarily hands‑on at the bench and on instruments, with substantial responsibility for method development, quantitative assay deployment, and day‑to‑day operation of multiple LC‑MS platforms in a shared core environment.

• Lead development, validation, and documentation of quantitative LC‑MS/MS assays (calibration curve design, QC strategy, acceptance criteria, carryover evaluation, matrix effects, and stability assessments) suitable for multi‑user core deployment.
• Design and execute stable isotope tracer experiments (e.g., ¹³C‑glucose, ¹³C‑glutamine), including sample workup and downstream isotopologue data analysis (desired).
• Support both discovery‑oriented metabolomics/lipidomics projects and hypothesis‑driven, targeted quantitation studies for a broad user base (faculty labs, trainees, external collaborators).
• Coordinate sample intake, batching, and queue management, and communicate timelines, data quality issues, and results clearly to users with varying levels of technical expertise.

• Hands‑on experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting high‑resolution and/or triple quadrupole LC‑MS systems (e.g., QqQ, QTOF, Orbitrap) in a research or core facility setting.
• Strong LC skills: reversed‑phase and HILIC method development, gradient optimization, carryover mitigation, and column care.
• Routine performance of system suitability and QC monitoring (retention time stability, mass accuracy, sensitivity, and contamination checks) and implementation of preventative maintenance schedules.
• Experience with vendor‑specific MS software (e.g., Analyst, Sciex OS, Xcalibur, Mass Lynx, or similar) for acquisition, processing, and basic quantitation.
• Familiarity with common metabolomics/lipidomics processing tools (e.g., MS‑DIAL, El‑Maven, Skyline, XCMS, or similar) and downstream data handling in R, Python, or equivalent environments is highly desirable.

• Demonstrated ability to process large LC‑MS datasets, perform peak integration and review, apply appropriate normalization/QC strategies, and export finalized results for statistical analysis.
• Working knowledge of basic statistics relevant to quantitative LC‑MS (e.g., LOD/LOQ concepts, CV thresholds, outlier identification, batch effect recognition).
• Ability to prepare clear reports and data summaries for users, including QC metrics, limitations, and recommendations for follow‑up experiments.

• Proven experience working in a service‑oriented or collaborative environment, balancing multiple projects and stakeholders while maintaining high data quality.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to explain MS concepts and limitations to non‑experts and to train new users on sample preparation and best practices.
• Strong organizational skills, including maintaining detailed electronic records of methods, runs, QC performance, and instrument interventions that support lab audits and reproducibility.
• Comfort enforcing core policies (sample submission requirements, QC failure criteria, cost‑recovery or recharge policies) in a professional, transparent manner.

• Strong understanding of analytical principles and techniques.
• Excellent problem‑solving and organizational skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for documentation and reporting.
• Strong team skills.