Associate Research Scientist

The Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University in the City of New York invites applications for an Associate Research Scientist position. The research group studies the production of virulence factors within biofilms formed by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The successful candidate will focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms that support natural product synthesis, nanomachine assembly, and bacterial survival in infectious biofilms.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise research projects and conduct research concerning the assembly of R bodies in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Research goals:
  • Define proteins that contribute to Pseudomonas aeruginosa R body formation.
  • Characterize the dynamics of reb cluster product co-localization within Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells.
• Analyze and interpret data.
• Manage preparation of progress reports and manuscripts describing study results and conclusions.

Skills required:

• Cultivation of microbial liquid cultures and biofilms
• Molecular biology techniques and biochemical methods (e.g. PCR, cloning, protein purification)
• Bacterial engineering for protein expression and gene expression analysis
• Microscopic analysis
• Documentation in electronic lab notebook
• Use of Excel and Prism software for data analysis
• Use of PyMol for structural analysis
• Scientific writing (manuscript preparation)

Application materials received by March 1, 2026 will recieve full consideration. Application screening will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Biological Sciences and ability to do biological research.
• Strong background in microbiology or molecular biology and at least 4 years of experience in microbial genetics.
• Experience analyzing natural product synthesis using classical extraction and HPLC methods.

All applications must be made through Columbia University’s online Academic Search and Recruitment System (ASR). On the site, please upload cover letter, CV, and a list of 3 reference providers (who may be asked to provide a letter at a later date).

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.  The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.