Research Scientist

Ensured Consideration Date: 31 Jul 2026

Michigan Technological University is an R1 technological research university founded in 1885 in Houghton. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Research focus areas include defense, health, energy, automotive, environment, and aerospace.

The area’s waters, forests, and snowfall support year-round recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and paddling. The University is an integral part of the region, supported by a friendly and welcoming community that takes pride in being a true college town. We embrace our size, climate, sense of adventure, and originality.

At the Health Research Institute (HRI) at Michigan Technological University, researchers are tackling a wide variety of health challenges. From engineering advanced wound care materials and pioneering vaccine and gene therapy manufacturing to harnessing AI to improve medical image analysis-or unraveling the gut-brain connection in disease-a our researchers are doing translational, interdisciplinary, and increasingly convergent work.

HRI is seeking a Research Scientist or Engineer to join our interdisciplinary organization with a focus on bioprocessing or process analytical technologies (PAT) or using an atomic force microscope (AFM) with biological material. The position will be highly collaborative with the Heldt Bioseparations Laboratory, including receiving mentorship. We look forward to welcoming an exceptional researcher who is willing to drive innovation, build new collaborations, and develop an externally funded research program.

They will also provide mentorship to graduate students and other researchers in their field of expertise. Affiliation with academic departments is available to qualified candidates. The ideal candidate is a self-starting, driven researcher with a desire to learn and participate in the development of a sustainable research program.

• Participate in and help develop a highly active research program in bioprocessing or AFM with a focus on biologics and gene therapy processing.
• Perform laboratory experiments, write proposals and publications in peer-reviewed journals, and present at conferences.
• Mentor graduate students and other researchers in the lab.
• Manage programs through HRI and the Heldt Bioseparations Laboratory.
• Maintain a safe, compliant office and laboratory environment.
• Maintain a culture of inclusivity and curiosity.
• Participate in HRI and inter-institute meetings, events, and conferences.
• Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in university continuous improvement initiatives.
• Some travel may be required.
• Other duties as required.
• Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and applying them to everyday work. Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives.
• Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work.

• PhD in chemical engineering, biological engineering, biomedical engineering or a closely related field.

• Experience in developing innovative upstream or downstream unit operations, PAT, or AFM characterization for biologics, gene therapy, and/or mRNA technologies.
• Experience in publishing in peer-reviewed journals and presenting at scientific conferences.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver technical information both orally and written to peer audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and with group members in a team.

• +1 year post doctoral experience.
• Experience working with gene therapy vectors.
• Experience with atomic force microscopy.
• Experience mentoring researchers at different levels.
• Experience leading teams.

• Strong laboratory skills in basic biochemical techniques.

• Demonstrate an ability to communicate research to a wide audience, including fellow researchers in other disciplines, the public, students, and practitioners.
• Desire to learn how to write fundable grant applications.
• Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is…