Junior Field Research Biologist Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Overview
At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget.
Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Integrated Discovery Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus.
The Integrated Discovery Sciences Directorate (IDSD) leads fundamental research across biology, chemistry, Earth and environmental sciences, materials science, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, mathematics, autonomy, and DOE national user facilities. Our vision is to accelerate scientific discovery by observing, understanding, simulating, predicting, and controlling dynamic biotic-abiotic processes and interactions within complex biological, chemical, material, and Earth systems. We intentionally connect disciplines to advance fundamental discovery science, develop transformative scientific capabilities, and address the nation's most important challenges in energy, environmental resilience, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, health, and national security.
The Environmental Molecular Sciences Division is comprised of 18 interdisciplinary research teams focused on deciphering molecular-level interactions driving biological and environmental processes across temporal and spatial scales. Through computational analysis and modeling, these findings contribute to predictive understanding of how systems respond to environmental perturbations thus enabling solutions to the nation's energy, environmental, and human health challenges. The division also manages the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus that accelerates the research of scientists around the world by providing access to world-class expertise, instrumentation, and computational resources.
Responsibilities
The Functional and Systems Group within the Environmental Molecular Sciences Division at PNNL seeks a versatile researcher to lead work on microalgal crop protection and strain improvement using modern molecular and chemical biology techniques, including adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE). The successful candidate will:

• Identify and characterize microalgal pests, including chytrids and other fungal parasites, oomycetes, amoebae, rotifers, ciliates, algicidal bacteria, and viruses, that threaten productivity and crop stability in large-scale cultivation, using microscopy, flow cytometry, culture-based isolation, and molecular diagnostics including DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, qPCR, amplicon and metagenomic sequencing workflows.
• Characterize host-pest interactions at the cellular and molecular level (attachment, infection dynamics, grazing pressure, host response) through controlled co-culture challenge assays, and establish early-detection and monitoring strategies that support pond crop protection decisions.
• Advance strain productivity and lipid improvement by investigating genetic and phenotypic mechanisms underlying tolerance to light, oxygen, salinity, temperature, and nutrient limitation, and by uncovering genetic modifications that enhance lipid and high-value bioproduct accumulation for biofuels and bioproducts applications.
• Analyze data using molecular biology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and bioinformatics to link phenotypic and genetic changes to pest resistance, stress tolerance, and productivity; generate datasets supporting systems biology efforts such as genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) of biomass and bioproduct formation.
• Communicate and collaborate with interdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams (microbiologists, engineers, computational biologists, environmental scientists); contribute to publications, technical reports, and presentations; work and maintain strict laboratory safety, biosafety, and regulatory compliance.

** Position is onsite only, and located in Richland, WA.**
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a Master's degree within the past 24 months or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MS degree in microbiology, marine biology, chemical engineering, molecular biology or a related field.
• Experience with culture health monitoring, contamination and pest detection, and microbial community characterization: sterile and anaerobic technique, light microscopy, flow cytometry, qPCR, ddPCR, and 16S rRNA sequencing workflows.
• Familiarity with interpreting mixed-community sequence data through sequence alignment, BLAST, taxonomic and phylogenetic analysis, and biological database searching (NCBI, UniProt) to identify and track pest organisms.
• Experience designing and executing ALE and phenotypic optimization experiments targeting stress tolerance, nutrient efficiency, and lipid or pigment yields.
• Proficiency cultivating microbial and algal strains, including fastidious and extremophilic strains, in photobioreactors and outdoor cultivation systems, including biomass harvesting and processing and scale-up.
• Familiarity with high-throughput screening/phenotyping and statistical methods for tracking phenotypic and fitness changes across generations.
• Core molecular biology skills (Gibson assembly, PCR, DNA/RNA extraction and quantification, algal and bacterial transformation, electroporation, mutagenesis, primer/plasmid design, nucleic acid QC) and analytical instrumentation experience (HPLC/UPLC, GC, mass spectrometry, UV-vis, flow cytometry, microscopy) for lipid, pigment, and biomass analysis.
• Genomic and computational skills: whole-genome sequencing, transcriptomics, comparative genomics, genome/gene annotation, and scripting in Python or R in a Linux/command-line environment.
• The successful candidate will interact with other staff and participate in team-based collaborative research within PNNL as well as with external organizations. Therefore, strong written, oral and inter-personal communication skills are essential to independently carry out initial analysis of experimental data, and present summaries to project managers and staff.
• Demonstrated expertise in algal biology, strain development, including experience with molecular biology tools and adaptive laboratory evolution and directed evolution.

Hazardous Working Conditions/Environment
Not applicable.
Testing Designated Position
This is not a Testing Designated Position (TDP).
About PNNL
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of Integrity, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned researchers on meaningful science, innovations and outcomes for the U.S. Department of Energy and other sponsors; here is your chance to be one of them!
At PNNL, you will find an exciting research environment and excellent benefits including health insurance, and flexible work schedules. PNNL is located in eastern Washington State-the dry side of Washington known for its stellar outdoor recreation and affordable cost of living. The Lab's campus is only a 45-minute flight (or ~3 hour drive) from Seattle or Portland, and is serviced by the convenient PSC airport, connected to 8 major hubs.
Commitment to Excellence and Equal Employment Opportunity
Our laboratory is committed to fostering a work environment where all individuals are treated with fairness and respect while solving critical challenges in fundamental sciences, national security, and energy resiliency. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. PNNL considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), protected veteran status, and any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local laws.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures and in employment. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, contact us at careers@pnnl.gov.
Drug Free Workplace
PNNL is committed to a drug-free workplace supported by Workplace Substance Abuse Program (WSAP) and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs.
If you are offered employment at PNNL, you must pass a drug test prior to commencing employment. PNNL complies with federal law regarding illegal drug use. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug. If you test positive for any illegal controlled substance, including marijuana, your offer of employment will be withdrawn.
Security, Credentialing, and Eligibility Requirements
As a national laboratory, PNNL is responsible for adhering to the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Department of Energy (DOE) Order 473.1A, which require new employees to obtain and maintain a HSPD-12 Personal Identify Verification (PIV) Credential. To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete the applicable tier of federal background investigation post hire and receive a favorable federal adjudication. The tier of federal background investigation will be determined by job duties and national security or public trust responsibilities associated with the job. All tiers of investigation include a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture within the last 1 to 7 years (depending on the applicable tier of investigation). Illegal drug activities include marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws.
For foreign national candidates:
If you have not resided in the U.S. for three consecutive years, you are not eligible for the PIV credential and instead will need to obtain a favorable Local Site Specific Only (LSSO) Federal risk determination to maintain employment. Once you meet the three-year residency requirement thereafter, you will be required to obtain a PIV credential to maintain employment. The tier of federal background investigation required to obtain the PIV credential will be determined by job duties at the time you become eligible for the PIV credential.
Mandatory Requirements
Please be aware that the Department of Energy (DOE) prohibits DOE employees and contractors from having any affiliation with the foreign government of a country DOE has identified as a "country of risk" without explicit approval by DOE and Battelle. If you are offered a position at PNNL and currently have any affiliation with the government of one of these countries, you will be required to disclose this information and recuse yourself of that affiliation or receive approval from DOE and Battelle prior to your first day of employment.
Rockstar Rewards
Employees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance*, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support. Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan* and may enroll in our 401 (k) savings plan with company match*. Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.
* Research Associates excluded.
**All benefits are dependent upon eligibility.
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Notice to Applicants
PNNL lists the full pay range for the position in the job posting. Starting pay is calculated from the minimum of the pay range and actual placement in the range is determined based on an individual's relevant job-related skills, qualifications, and experience. This approach is applicable to all positions, with the exception of positions governed by collective bargaining agreements and certain limited-term positions which have specific pay rules.
As part of our commitment to fair compensation practices, we do not ask for or consider current or past salaries in making compensation offers at hire. Instead, our compensation offers are determined by the specific requirements of the position, prevailing market trends, applicable collective bargaining agreements, pay equity for the position type, and individual qualifications and skills relevant to the performance of the position.
Minimum Salary
USD $80,500.00/Yr.
Maximum Salary
USD $104,700.00/Yr.