"Research Associate - Plant Genome Editing Center"

Research Associate - Plant Genome Editing Center

Company: North Carolina State University

Job Location: Raleigh, NC

Category: Laboratory and Research

Type: Full-Time

Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.

Essential Job Duties: The Research Associate will contribute to research activities within the Genome Editing Center by assisting in the development and execution of genome editing protocols in plants. This position requires hands-on laboratory work with multiple crop species, data analysis, and support in disseminating scientific findings, while maintaining compliance with all applicable health, safety, and environmental regulations.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Independently conduct experiments in plant tissue culture, regeneration, and transformation/genome editing of crops such as maize, wheat, sorghum, and soybean.
• Design and develop the plant genome editing vectors.
• Perform DNA and RNA extraction, purification, and PCR-based analyses.
• Collect, organize, and conduct preliminary analyses of experimental data.
• Prepare summaries of results and contribute to data presentations in team meetings.
• Conduct the preparation of manuscripts and reports for publication or internal use.
• Ensure adherence to health, safety, and environmental (HSE) standards in all laboratory activities.

Other Work/Responsibilities: Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Experience/Education: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree, or relevant Bachelor's degree plus 3 or more years of independent research experience. May require terminal degree and licensure.

Required Qualifications: Ability to independently design, troubleshoot, and optimize experiments. Strong analytical and data interpretation skills. Proven ability to prepare manuscripts, reports, and contribute to grant writing. Excellent oral and written communication skills for both scientific and collaborative contexts. Ability to mentor and provide guidance to students, technicians, or junior researchers. Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple research projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications: Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree. Experience in field crop tissue culture and transformation. Familiar with bio-informatics, gene cloning and vector construction. Experience in CRISPR genome editing. Excellent sterile technique and attention to detail. Ability to work well in a dynamic collaborative team environment.

Required License or Certification: N/A