Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement · 17 hours ago
Research Scientist
Bozeman, MT
Full-time
Onsite
Senior LevelMontana State University - Office of Student Engagement is seeking a Research Scientist to contribute to innovative research on Borrelia burgdorferi and vector-borne mechanisms of phage-mediated genetic exchange. The role involves designing and executing complex research projects, developing computational tools, and mentoring trainees in a collaborative laboratory environment.
Events Services
No H1B
Responsibilities
Independently design and conduct hypothesis-driven experiments relevant to phage induction, plasmid recombination, cp32 dynamics, antigenic variation, and Borrelia pathogenesis
Develop new methodological approaches—both experimental and computational—to investigate surface-protein diversity, recombination events, and mobile genetic elements within the Lyme disease system
Lead multiple concurrent research efforts requiring the integration of genomics, wet-lab experimentation, and animal-model data
Develop, deploy, and maintain high-throughput computational pipelines (Python, Bash, Linux/Unix) for Illumina, Nanopore, and hybrid genome assembly workflows
Perform comparative genomics on plasmids, phages, and mobile genetic elements; identify CRISPR arrays, anti-phage systems, recombination events, and patterns of genome plasticity
Build custom visualization tools (e.g., Plotly-Dash dashboards or equivalent) for data presentation and public-facing analytics
Administer and maintain laboratory servers, software environments, containerized workflows, and data storage systems supporting large-volume sequencing datasets
Develop and maintain relational data structures for sequencing metadata, phenotypic data, strain collections, and analytical outputs
Perform complex molecular biology workflows including recombinant DNA methods, cloning, PCR/qPCR, DNA/RNA extraction, sequencing library construction, and phage purification
Maintain and characterize diverse bacterial isolates, including plasmid-bearing strains, mutants, and engineered lines
Develop protocols and SOPs for advanced laboratory techniques such as inducible phage purification, genomic library preparation, and molecular characterization of phage/host interactions
Support tick–mouse model experiments, including tick feeding, infection establishment, tissue harvesting, recovery of spirochetes, and downstream genomic analyses
Conduct mouse infection procedures (e.g., inoculation, monitoring, tissue collection) under IACUC protocols with high precision and strong documentation
Integrate in vivo results with genomic and molecular datasets to analyze phage induction, recombination, immune evasion, and strain competitiveness
Mentor and supervise undergraduate and graduate students in experimental design, molecular biology, microbiology, computational analysis, and data visualization
Develop and deliver training modules or short workshops to onboard new researchers in laboratory procedures and computational tools
Provide day-to-day guidance to junior personnel, fostering a collaborative, rigorous, and supportive research environment
Contribute substantially to manuscripts as a lead or co-author, including data analysis, figure preparation, and methods writing
Prepare reports for funded federal grants, including progress summaries, data figures, and computational workflows
Assist in the conception and writing of new grant proposals, generating preliminary data and novel computational methods where needed
Present research findings at internal meetings, national conferences, and collaborative project discussions
Qualification
Required
Ph.D. in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a closely related discipline
Demonstrated excellence in genomic data analysis, including short-read and long-read assembly, annotation, and comparative genomics
Proven experience in molecular microbiology including DNA/RNA workflows, cloning, mutagenesis, and microbial cultivation
Demonstrated ability to independently design, troubleshoot, and complete technically complex research projects
Excellent communication skills
Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
Preferred
Experience with phage biology, plasmid biology, CRISPR systems, or other mobile genetic elements
Experience developing custom computational tools, dashboards, or visualization platforms
Experience with vector-borne or animal models of infection (e.g., mice, ticks)
Experience managing large biological repositories or strain collections
Demonstrated track record of mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students
Experience with host–pathogen interactions, spirochete biology, or vector microbiology
Strong proficiency in Python and Bash, Linux/Unix systems, and scripting for high-throughput analyses
Benefits
Benefits Eligible
Company
Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement
The Office of Student Engagement (OSE) provides and facilitates student engagement opportunities for MSU students through a variety of programs, events, services, and activities on the Bozeman campus.
Founded in 2015
11-50 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageCompany data provided by crunchbase