Senior Virology Research Associate

We have a full time Senior Virology Research Associate position available supporting our Research and Development team open in St. Cloud, Minnesota.  We hold every member of our team to a high standard of excellence – because everyone on our team makes an impact on our success and contributes to our ability to thrive in the rapidly changing environment.

At Microbiologics, we have recently extended our research and production capabilities with the opening of a new BSL3 laboratory at our St. Cloud World Headquarters.  This new facility has allowed us to continue our response to the current SARS CoV2 crisis by increasing our production scale of inactivated viruses for NAT and antigen testing and extending our assay services to support vaccines and novel therapies.  

We are looking for a motivated person who is eager to learn and grow as a member of our team – someone who wants to be responsible for the maintenance, production, and analysis of high-quality biomaterials in support of Microbiologics product development activities and contract services.  The primary work focus for this role will be conducting cell culture and virology-based experiments with BSL2 and BSL3 pathogens.  

Some key responsibilities in this role include:

• Expansion and maintenance of cell lines including primary and transformed cell lines.
• Propagation, purification, quantitation of microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi) in BSL-2 and BSL-3 laboratory facilities.
• Perform cell-based virus titration assays such as TCID50, and viral plaque assays.
• Design and perform drug antiviral and virucidal efficacy testing using IC50, microneutralization, and plaque reduction assays, hemagglutination inhibition assays or minimum inhibitory concentration.
• Utilize molecular methods (i.e., qPCR and ddPCR) to determine genome copy number of viral stocks.
• Inactivation of microorganisms by various methods and demonstration of innocuity.
• Participation in decision-making processes within project teams by actively engaging in scientific and technical discussions.
• Serve as technical resource for internal customers and our business partners.
• Assist with and lead the manufacturing of test lots and analyzes product performance for R&D functions according to the appropriate policies and procedures.
• Develop and write new or review and update existing SOPs for all procedures and coordinates training to expand virology and tissue culture capabilities within the company.

Who is Microbiologics?

Microbiologics is one of the fastest growing international biotechnology companies in the nation. We are the world’s leading experts and go-to collaborators in biological products and services, focused on protecting the health and safety of people around the world. For over 50 years, we have been partnering with healthcare and life science laboratories, manufacturers, and suppliers across the globe to co-create and provide biological control materials, assay services and consulting for microbiology, molecular diagnostics, and virology. Headquartered in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, we have additional facilities in California, Kentucky, and Michigan.

Our award-winning culture is friendly, collaborative, and supportive, providing endless opportunities for individuals to learn and grow, both personally and professionally. At Microbiologics, we believe that "great vision without great people is irrelevant." That's why we are always looking for great people to join our dynamic, innovative company as we provide the highest quality biomaterials for a safer, healthier world.

We can we offer you?

Glad you asked!

We have a comprehensive benefits package that includes your standard benefits such as health and dental insurance, health savings account (company funded), life insurance, short and long-term disability, and a 401k program with a generous match to name a few.  In addition, we are proud to support our team and their families by offering daycare assistance, tuition reimbursement, bonus potential, a competitive compensation and benefits package, and plenty of opportunities for training and growth. 

Where is this position located?

St. Cloud, Minnesota

On a map, Greater St. Cloud looks like a group of Central Minnesota communities with the Mississippi River winding through, somewhere between the bright lights of Minneapolis and the starry nights of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Sure, we’re that, but that’s just geography.  We are the regional center for commerce, manufacturing, research, healthcare, arts, entertainment, and education.  We boast bustling downtowns, major businesses, and good jobs.  We have tranquil, diverse neighborhoods, with a cost of living well below that of urban settings.  But when urban is what you want, we’re only about an hour from everything the Twin Cities has to offer.

• Mini-Metro of 130,000 people
• Four-season recreation
• Theatre and arts
• Excellent school options
• Family Friendly
• Four colleges
• Lakes area

What makes you a good fit?

Our goal is finding the right individual for our team – we firmly believe that the right person is someone to invest in and invite to join our family. 

Here is what we are looking for:

• Four (4) year degree in virology, biochemistry, microbiology or related field required. Advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum two years’ experience working in GMP virology or cell culture lab required.
• Broad knowledge of virology and molecular biology principles including PCR for detection and quantification of viruses.
• Extensive experience with tissue culture, cell-based virus titration assays (i.e., TCID50, antibody neutralization assays), and virus purification.