Lab Specialist, Molecular Technologies

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located.

Location
:
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

Job

We are looking for a Lab Specialist
- Molecular Technologies to join our Agricultural Solutions team in Research Triangle Park, NC.

BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division connects innovation, customers, partners and agricultural experts and integrates sustainability criteria into all business decisions. We help farmers deliver the best possible outcomes, working to achieve the balance between economic, environmental and social value creation for sustainable and efficient agriculture.

The Lab Specialist will be part of BASF’s Seeds, Technologies, and Analytics (STA) Labs and Methods Team, which delivers innovative and cost effective DNA, RNA and protein-based methods to stakeholders in Seeds & Traits. This is an excellent opportunity to join the laboratory environment and share your technical expertise, problem-solving skills, innovation and process efficiency mindset along with automation aptitude to conduct DNA and RNA based analytics for the Soybean Crop System.

The desirable candidate will have first-hand experience developing, optimizing and performing novel fluorescence-based expression analysis using RNA from plant matrices, including qualitative and quantitative analysis and utilizing laboratory automation. The ideal candidate will be implementing and optimizing sequencing, expression assays and molecular analytics across diverse platforms, conducting data analysis and proposing workflow and protocol improvements.

• Conducting RNA based Expression analysis in wet lab by utilizing specialized laboratory automation platforms including Real Time PCR systems, liquid handlers, and sequencing instruments and deliver high quality data within defined timelines to internal customers in the organization.
• For Wet Lab methods, proactively conducting troubleshooting, optimization of protocols and processes alongside increasing efficiency and reducing cost for assays.
• Providing technical expertise for assay development, optimization and roll over of a method from a development scale to a high throughput ready format for production scale applications.
• For data analysis reponsibilities, reviewing data outputs from molecular analysis using sophisticated software tools, identifying issues and proactively communicating them with the team.
• Collaborating and providing technical input to Process Lead and Global Methods team on scoring template requirements, LIMS integration and documentation for capturing the protocols and novel workflow.
• Communicating with the Greenhouse Team for sample quality, timelines and Breeding for data delivery, communicating any potential bottlenecks with the project / group lead, and pro-actively communicating any equipment challenges internally and with vendors if there are any issues.

• Hold a master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant Biology, Biotechnology, or other related field of study.
• Bring a minimum of 5 years of experience in an industry lab setting working with advanced molecular biology techniques.
• Have experience developing and implementing Taq Man assays for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping and expression analysis.
• Bring experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies.
• Apply expertise in molecular assay design and validation.
• Bring a background in crop genetics and molecular analytics, preferred.
• Combine experience in method/technology development with work in a high-throughput lab environment.
• Translate novel methods from development and validation to implementation in a production lab setting.
• Work with LIMS systems and DNA analysis software.
• Demonstrate deep technical knowledge of Taq Man Gene Expression Assays.
• Understand sequencing technologies, including DNA and RNA sequencing.
• Demonstrate attention to detail, work independently, and collaborate with a diverse team of scientists and specialists.

At BASF, you will have the chance to do meaningful work towards building a more…