Job Overview

The R&D Scientist will be responsible for participating with cross functional teams to sustain and develop products and services within Charles River.  The role will support expansion of the Microbial Solutions product portfolio comprised of endotoxin detection (Endosafe), microbial detection (Celsis) and microbial identification (Accugenix).  They will assist with designing and performing experiments, analysing data, developing bioinformatics pipelines, providing technical support for current products and presenting results to stakeholders.  This role will support site operations related to microbial activities and biotechnology product development at the site.

Job Description

• Collaborate with global cross-functional R&D teams on technology evaluations, product development, and application projects.
• Plan, execute, and manage new and existing product application studies for Celsis, Accugenix, and LAL products and instrumentation.
• Develop, test, maintain, and enhance bioinformatics tools and software supporting Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) applications.
• Analyse, interpret, and communicate complex scientific datasets, preparing technical reports, presentations, and recommendations.
• Partner with Operations, Commercial, Technical Services, and Quality teams throughout all stages of the product lifecycle.
• Provide technical support and scientific expertise in response to customer, operational, quality, and field-service inquiries.
• Support site activities such as RCA, investigations, deviations, risk assessments and gap analysis.
• Contribute to the development, review, and maintenance of SOPs, procedures, and technical documentation for new product development.
• Deliver training and technical guidance to colleagues, sales teams, and customers as required.
• Maintain proficiency in microbiology, biochemistry, bioengineering, and other relevant laboratory techniques and practices.
• Perform product-specific test method validation and collaborate with subject matter experts to ensure technical excellence.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety standards, departmental procedures, and safety regulations.
• Adherence to regulatory, FDA, GMP, and quality requirements across R&D processes and documentation.
• Foster collaboration with internal subject matter experts to troubleshoot technical challenges and drive continuous improvement.

Minimum Qualifications for Consideration

• Ph.D. or Masters combined with an established track record of experience in related areas such as, microbiology, bioinformatics, biomedical/chemical engineering, molecular biology or related field.
• An established track record of R&D or technical operations industry experience or academic research, post doc and/ or industry experience in microbiology, molecular biology, biochemistry, virology, bioinformatics.
• Experience with next generation sequencing (NGS), with knowledge of NGS workflows (Illumina or ONT) and related data analysis tools.
•  Experience with DNA/RNA extractions, DNA sequencing, mass spectroscopy and/or spectroscopy for microbiology applications preferred.
• Experience developing products or services, such as Assays for use in a commercial environment, an advantage, 
• Working knowledge of high-performance computing/cloud computing environments an advantage.
• Experience with programming in Python, MATLAB or other related data languages preferred.
• Understanding of FDA, GMP, ISO, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Experience preparing technical reports, protocols, and scientific documentation.
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional and global team environment.
• Knowledge of quality management systems an advantage.

Competencies

• Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills, with the ability to convey information to diverse audiences.
• Self-motivated, driven and proactive, demonstrating ownership and accountability for tasks and deliverables.
• Ability to display initiative, identify opportunities for improvement, and independently drive projects forward.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize workload effectively and manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective problem solving and decision-making skills, using data driven approaches to address challenges.
• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and develop strong working relationships.
• Results orientated mindset with a commitment to achieving business objectives.
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to respond effectively to changing priorities and project requirements.