Senior Research Associate I, Vector Evaluation And Quality Control

As an organization whose mission is to translate science into global public health impact, working on vaccines and therapeutics, IAVI has a vaccine policy which states that subject to applicable law, we require all U.S. and Puerto Rico based employees to be vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption or accommodation. We are committed to supporting our employees during this process as we work to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.

Position Description

Title:                    Senior Research Associate I, Vector Evaluation and Quality Control
Location:            Design and Development Lab (DDL) in Brooklyn, New York
Reports to:         Principal Scientist, Vector Evaluation and Quality Control

Position Summary:

Are you a biology scientist who is passionate about making an impact on global health? This could be the right opportunity for you!

IAVI is seeking a Senior Research Associate I, who serves as a member of multidisciplinary research teams that are focused on developing and testing new vaccine candidates for HIV/AIDS, SARS-CoV-2, Lassa, Marburg and Sudan viruses and other infectious diseases utilizing the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) vector platform.

Key Responsibilities:

• Run QC panels for vaccine candidates, including sequencing, sterility assays, mycoplasma detection, cell host DNA and endotoxin.
• Run infectivity assay and PCR/RT-PCR/qPCR for vaccine candidates.
• Run flow virometry to evaluate vaccine candidates.
• Processing of tissues/blood infected with BSL2 infectious agents.
• Support viral production and purification process.
• Support senior scientists in different projects and techniques.
• Introduce/develop innovative solutions to improve daily lab tasks.
• Develop their own scientific projects guided by senior staffs.
• Train junior staffs.
• Analyze data analysis and manage computer database.
• Stay up to update on scientific literature related to virology and VSV platform.
• Support other teams at IAVI-DDL and collaborate with other IAVI sites.
• Perform laboratory operation duties such as monitoring inventory, ordering supplies, maintaining safe working conditions, and disposal of chemical and biohazardous waste.
• Perform other reasonable responsibilities assigned by the manager or by the director.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences or a related field is required; Master’s degree is highly preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years with BS, OR a Minimum of 2 years’ with MS of wet-lab experience is required.
• Experience in a virology or vaccine lab setting is preferred.

Qualifications and Skills: 

• Expertise with mammalian cells culture and aseptic techniques is required.
• Experience with PCR/RT-PCR/qPCR is required.
• Experience with handling and extracting RNA is required.
• Experience with sequencing and seq software analysis is desirable.
• Experience with cloning and DNA preps is desirable.
• Experience with western blot is desirable.
• Experience with plaque-assay is desirable.
• Experience with virus production and purification is desirable.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and proactively ensure the delivery of outputs.
• Ability to learn new laboratory procedures or scientific workflows.
• Advanced data analysis and presentation skills.
• Time management skills and the ability to multitask.
• Good verbal and written communication skills are desired.
• Ability to independently conduct research.
• Attention to details on f lab notebooks/e-notebooks and experimental procedure documentation.
• Ability to work effectively with teams of diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of professional conduct as a representative of IAVI.

Organizational Overview:

IAVI is a nonprofit scientific research organization dedicated to addressing urgent, unmet global health challenges including HIV and tuberculosis. Our mission is to translate scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. Through scientific and clinical research in Africa, India, Europe, and the U.S., IAVI is pioneering the development of biomedical innovations designed for broad global access. We develop vaccines and antibodies in and for the developing world and seek to accelerate their introduction in low-income countries. IAVI programs and partnerships are grounded in the regions of the world where the disease burden is the greatest, and our approach emphasizes sustainability. Our network of clinical research center partners in Africa and India helps strengthen in-country research capacity and supports the training and education of the next generation of scientists. The global impact of our science includes fundamental contributions to understanding the biology of HIV infection, which IAVI and others are applying toward advancing vaccine science and immunology. IAVI accelerates scientific discovery and development by fostering unique collaborations among academia, industry, local communities, governments, and funders to explore new and better ways to address public health threats that disproportionately affect people living in poverty. Our global reach, including a clinical research network in five countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in India, has allowed us to make fundamental contributions to understanding the epidemiology, transmission, virology, and immunology of HIV. This work played a key role in facilitating the design of promising HIV vaccine candidates, as well as the discovery of broadly neutralizing antibodies that are now being advanced as promising approaches for HIV prevention. Our integrated capabilities in vaccine and antibody discovery, development, and clinical research take advantage of bio-pharmaceutical industry expertise to accelerate the development and testing of prevention methods for HIV and other diseases. Through the Product Development Center, we support external researchers with technical and scientific expertise to accelerate the development of their own products. 

IAVI CORE VALUES:

• Dedication to the Mission: We are committed to the translation of scientific discoveries into affordable, globally accessible public health solutions. 
• Innovative Evolution: We are committed to solving complex problems in creative and innovative ways, learning from our mistakes and successes and never giving up 
• Integrity: We are committed to meeting the highest ethical and professional standards in everything we do and to taking responsibility for our actions to earn respect 
• Collaboration: We are committed to embracing diversity, the power of global teamwork and the belief that by working as one we can make a difference

Disclaimer: Nothing in this job description restricts management's right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of personnel so classified. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship. IAVI is an equal opportunity employer and applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. 

IAVI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER actively committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive global organization. IAVI believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a representative candidate pool. At IAVI, we celebrate the spectrum of colleagues’ experiences and believe that dedication to our mission above all is essential to our success as a scientific global non-profit. IAVI upholds these principles through IAVI’s Global Diversity and Inclusion Committee. 

IAVI has zero tolerance for discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, caste, national origin, home language, ancestry, religion, marital or civil partnership status, age, physical or mental disability, HIV status and any other medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and veteran status, in addition to any other status protected under the law in any of our locations worldwide.

Compensation and Benefits Information for US-Based Candidates:  

The annual base salary for this position is targeted at $75,000.00 - 85,000.00 with some variation based on experience level. In addition, this position offers competitive benefits such as annual bonus, generous retirement savings plan, three health insurance plans to choose from, and other benefits.