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Job Description:
Parsons is seeking a Research Associate – Microbiology and NGS to support laboratory research at NMRC BDRD. The position will contribute to infectious-disease research involving microbiology, bacteriophages, NGS, pathogen detection, sample processing, and genomic characterization.
The selected candidate will perform laboratory procedures, maintain accurate scientific records, troubleshoot experiments, and collaborate with scientists and bioinformatics personnel supporting biodefense and biosurveillance programs.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Perform microbiology and molecular-biology laboratory procedures supporting infectious-disease research.
- Process clinical, environmental, bacterial, viral, bacteriophage, or other research samples.
- Support NGS library preparation, sequencing, and associated quality-control activities.
- Assist with bacteriophage isolation, sequencing, characterization, or host-related studies.
- Conduct sample preparation and laboratory testing under approved protocols and SOPs.
- Assist with wet-laboratory protocol development, optimization, and standardization.
- Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks, sample records, inventories, and electronic files.
- Analyze experimental results and communicate findings to scientists and technical leads.
- Troubleshoot laboratory methods, instruments, and sample-processing issues.
- Support the preparation of protocols, SOPs, technical reports, presentations, and publications.
- Maintain laboratory equipment and follow all applicable safety and quality requirements.
- Travel domestically or internationally to support partner laboratories or field activities when required.
What Required Skills You’ll Bring
- Master’s or bachelor’s degree in biological sciences or a relevant field.
- At least five years of relevant microbiology experience.
- At least three years of hands-on experience with bacteriophages and/or NGS techniques.
- Demonstrated ability to perform microbiology or molecular-biology laboratory procedures.
- Ability to maintain accurate scientific records and follow approved protocols.
- Strong communication, organization, troubleshooting, and teamwork skills.
- Availability for national and international travel of up to two to four weeks.
- Ability to adjust work hours occasionally for time-sensitive experiments.
- U.S. citizenship due to federal contract requirements.
- Ability to satisfy the applicable background investigation, CAC, facility-access, and Government system-access requirements.
What Desired Skills You’ll Bring
- Experience supporting pathogen sequencing, biosurveillance, or infectious-disease research.
- Experience with Illumina, PacBio, or ONT sequencing technologies.
- Experience with clinical, environmental, wastewater, vector, or animal samples.
- Experience with bacteriophage isolation, host-range testing, or genome characterization.
- Experience supporting NMRC, DoD, or another federal research laboratory.
- Experience with human-subject or animal-use research.
- Experience working with international partners or in resource-limited settings.
- Current Government facility or system access.
Compliance Note
This position is expected to be primarily on-site at Fort Detrick and is contingent upon contract award. The PWS does not expressly require a Secret clearance for this labor category, but applicable background investigation and access requirements will apply. Security language must be validated before publication. Occasional schedule adjustments may be required for time-sensitive experiments, sample processing, field activities, or emerging mission needs.
Security Clearance Requirement:
NoneThis position is part of our Federal Solutions team.The Federal Solutions segment delivers resources to our US government customers that ensure the success of missions around the globe. Our intelligent employees drive the state of the art as they provide services and solutions in the areas of defense, security, intelligence, infrastructure, and environmental. We promote a culture of excellence and close-knit teams that take pride in delivering, protecting, and sustaining our nation's most critical assets, from Earth to cyberspace. Throughout the company, our people are anticipating what’s next to deliver the solutions our customers need now.Salary Range: $88,400.00 - $154,700.00We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!Parsons is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!Parsons is aware of fraudulent recruitment practices. To learn more about recruitment fraud and how to report it, please refer to https://www.parsons.com/fraudulent-recruitment/.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or master's degree in biological sciences or a relevant field
- At least five years of relevant microbiology experience
- At least three years of hands-on bacteriophage and/or NGS experience
- Experience performing microbiology or molecular biology laboratory procedures
- Ability to maintain accurate scientific records and follow approved protocols
- Strong communication, organization, troubleshooting, and teamwork skills
- Availability for national and international travel of up to two to four weeks
- Ability to adjust work hours occasionally for time-sensitive experiments
- U.S. citizenship
- Ability to satisfy applicable background investigation, CAC, facility-access, and Government system-access requirements
- Experience supporting pathogen sequencing, biosurveillance, or infectious-disease research
- Experience with Illumina, PacBio, or ONT sequencing technologies
- Experience with clinical, environmental, wastewater, vector, or animal samples
- Experience with bacteriophage isolation, host-range testing, or genome characterization
- Experience supporting NMRC, DoD, or another federal research laboratory
- Experience with human-subject or animal-use research
- Experience working with international partners or in resource-limited settings
- Current Government facility or system access
Parsons Corporation Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Parsons Corporation and has not been reviewed or approved by Parsons Corporation.
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Retirement Support — Retirement programs are framed as a major value driver, with an ESOP alongside a 401(k) match and additional stock-purchase options contributing meaningfully to total rewards. This structure is positioned as especially attractive for employees who value long-term wealth-building over immediate cash.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is described as broad and choice-rich, with multiple plan types (PPO, HDHP, and some HMO networks) plus dental, vision, EAP, and wellness resources. The availability of different plan designs and national-carrier coverage supports varied employee needs.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off offerings are portrayed as competitive, including PTO, holidays, flexible schedules such as a 9/80 option for eligible roles, and floating holidays in the U.S. Paid parental leave of 160 hours is also highlighted as a meaningful component of the overall package.
Parsons Corporation Insights
What We Do
Parsons is a digitally enabled solutions provider with a focus on making the world safer, smarter, healthier, more sustainable, and more connected. Founded in 1944, Parsons primarily serves the defense, security, and infrastructure markets. Uniquely qualified to deliver cyber/converged security, technology-based intellectual property, and other innovative services, the corporation delivers state-of-the-art solutions to federal, regional, and local government agencies as well as to private industrial customers worldwide. Parsons has a reputation for inclusion and diversity and has been named to the Ethisphere Institute’s list of World’s Most Ethical Companies for 10 consecutive years. Parsons facilitates a culture of innovation by encouraging collaboration among its employees and providing opportunities for career growth. With offices around the globe, people of varied talents and backgrounds, and a wide range of exciting projects, the possibilities at Parsons are endless. For more about Parsons, visit www.parsons.com. Mission: Delivering innovative infrastructure, defense, and security solutions to enable a more sustainable, safer, smarter, and more connected world.
