Biomaterials Research Associate

Company Overview:

Luna Labs USA is a leading defense contractor in central Virginia and a high-throughput innovation engine for the aerospace, defense, and healthcare industries. Our diverse capabilities in materials, biotech, and engineered systems allow us to collaborate to address unique and complex problems faced by our customers. We partner with universities, government labs, and the best companies in the world to explore feasibility of new ideas, align technologies with customer needs, and generate solutions. Working with a robust global network of manufacturers, suppliers, licensees, and distributors, Luna Labs develops everything from small-scale prototypes to market-ready products.

Luna Labs’ Biotech Group is committed to addressing critical technical challenges in modern healthcare. This multidisciplinary team drives advancements in medical technology through close partnerships with clinicians and external researchers in diverse fields including implantable materials, clinical diagnostics, device design, drug and vaccine delivery, and medical simulation.

Job Summary:

The Biotech Group is seeking a Research Associate to support research and development efforts within the biomaterials area. The candidate will be expected to execute laboratory experiments, provide interpretation of data, and simultaneously contribute to activities across multiple projects. A successful candidate will demonstrate a passion for learning and applying the state-of-the-art in science and engineering to develop products with clinical applications. Familiarity with material development, fabrication, and characterization (e.g., HPLC/MS, mechanical testing) is highly preferred.

Role/Responsibilities:

• Assists in the design of laboratory experiments.
• Executes laboratory experiments.
• Provides interpretation of data and results.
• Communicates results and challenges at team meetings and through clear and timely reports.
• Supports technical projects across multiple program managers and program areas.
• Implements state-of-the-art knowledge from the scientific community through literature searches.
• Maintains a well-documented laboratory notebook.
• Demonstrates and promotes safety.

Requirements:

• Bachelors Degree in Biomedical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Materials Science and Engineering, or related field with introductory laboratory research experience.
• Up to 3 years relevant research and development experience.
• Basic technical writing and presentation skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Passion for learning and applying the state-of-the-art in science and engineering to develop products with clinical applications.

Characteristics

• Strong Reputation; Impeccable Ethics
• Enthusiastic; Problem Solver
• Humble; Accountable; Strong Sense of Team
• Decisive; Strong Sense of Purpose; Bias for Action