Company Description

Join us and make YOUR mark on the World!

Are you interested in joining some of the brightest talent in the world to strengthen the United States’ security? Come join Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) where our employees apply their expertise to create solutions for BIG ideas that make our world a better place.

We are committed to a diverse and equitable workforce with an inclusive culture that values and celebrates the diversity of our people, talents, ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This is essential to innovation and creativity for continued success of the Laboratory’s mission.

Pay Range

$5,380 - $7,372 Monthly

Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. Many factors are taken into consideration when setting starting pay including education, experience, the external labor market, and internal equity.

Job Description

NOTE: This is a one-year Academic Graduate Appointee with the possibility of extension to a maximum of two years. For important information about LLNL appointments refer to the FAQs above.

We have an opening for an Academic Graduate Appointee to participate in research and development of novel bioremediation pathways and mechanisms. You will work in a highly integrated environment as part of a multi-disciplinary team to isolate, culture, and characterize naturally occurring bacteria and fungi that can be applied for bioremediation. This position is in the Biosecurity, Assessments, and Materials Group within the Biosciences and Biotechnology Division.

You will:

• Culture environmental samples to isolate microbial strains for further characterization.
• Conduct whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis to identify environmental isolates.
• Characterize pathways used by environmental isolates to remediate compounds of interest.
• Experimentally validate PCR and quantitative PCR primers and probes to detect enzymes and pathways of interest.
• Assist with assays to characterize microbially-mediated material changes (e.g., mass spectrometry and materials measurements such as stress and strain).
• Maintain an accurate and detailed laboratory notebook.
• Ensure all experiments are performed within ES&H safety guidelines and that waste from all experiments is characterized and disposed of properly.
• Occasional weekend work and/or additional hours during the week may be required to follow through on ongoing experiments.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Work must be performed by a U.S. person (e.g., U.S. citizen or permanent resident and certain others). Also, assignments longer than 179 days require a federal background investigation.
• B.S. in Biology, Ecology, Microbiology, Molecular and Cell Biology, Genetics or related field.
• Experience with microbiology culturing and aseptic technique.
• Experience with ecology and bioremediation principles
• Knowledge of typical microbiology and molecular biology laboratory instruments.
• Proficient interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills necessary to effectively collaborate in a team environment with a diverse technical staff.
• Ability to execute independent tasking as part of a larger project team.
• Ability to follow standard laboratory protocols and ES&H safety procedures.
• Experience using MS Office applications (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Analytical, record-keeping, and organizational skills necessary for working in a laboratory environment.

Qualifications we desire:

• Bioinformatics experience or other experience coding in Python, R, or similar programming languages.
• Experience with a broad range of microbiological techniques and ability to adapt and troubl
• eshoot new methods for difficult samples.
• Experience working with non-model bacterial or fungal organisms.
• Experience with materials characterization techniques.
• Experience with standard molecular biology techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or ELISA.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Position Information

This is a one-year Academic Graduate Appointee, open to those who have been awarded a degree at the time of the employment offer.

Why Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory?

• Flexible Benefits Package
• 401(k)
• Relocation Assistance
• Education Reimbursement Program
• Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs)
• Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity
• Our core beliefs - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/our-values
• Employee engagement - visit https://www.llnl.gov/diversity/employee-engagement

Security Clearance

None required. However, this position involves U.S. Export Control; this work must be performed by a U.S. person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident, U.S. national, or U.S. protected individual (e.g., refugee, asylee)).

If your assignment is longer than 179 days cumulatively within a calendar year, you must go through the Personal Identity Verification process. This process includes completing an online background investigation form and receiving approval of the background check. (This process does not apply to foreign nationals.)

Pre-Employment Drug Test

External applicant(s) selected for this position must pass a post-offer, pre-employment drug test. This includes testing for use of marijuana as Federal Law applies to us as a Federal Contractor.

Pre-Placement Medical Exam

A job related pre-placement medical examination may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

We are an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing all with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, protected veteran status, age, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We invite you to review the Equal Employment Opportunity posters which include EEO is the Law and Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision.

Reasonable Accommodation

Our goal is to create an accessible and inclusive experience for all candidates applying and interviewing at the Laboratory. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or the recruiting process, please use our online form to submit a request.

California Privacy Notice

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants privacy rights to all California residents. The law also entitles job applicants, employees, and non-employee workers to be notified of what personal information LLNL collects and for what purpose. The Employee Privacy Notice can be accessed here.