Senior Research Scientist

It's fun to work in a company where people truly believe in what they are doing!

• This role combines molecular assay development, bioinformatics, genomics, and pathogen microbiology and applied statistics to create practical nucleic acid-based solutions for foodborne pathogen detection.
• The Senior Research Scientist will provide hands-on scientific and laboratory leadership, guiding work from genomic target identification and primer and probe design through assay optimization and analytical performance evaluation. This individual will also provide the technical data and expertise needed to support verification, validation, product transfer, and commercialization in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Senior Research Scientist

Molecular Assay Development & Bioinformatics

• LANSING, MI
• Location

• DAY SHIFT
• Schedule

• ON-SITE
• Work style

• FULL-TIME
• Employment

Shape the next generation of rapid pathogen detection.

This role combines molecular assay development, bioinformatics, genomics, and pathogen microbiology and applied statistics to create practical nucleic acid-based solutions for foodborne pathogen detection.

The Senior Research Scientist will provide hands-on scientific and laboratory leadership, guiding work from genomic target identification and primer and probe design through assay optimization and analytical performance evaluation. This individual will also provide the technical data and expertise needed to support verification, validation, product transfer, and commercialization in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

• ABOUT NEOGEN
• At Neogen, how we work matters as much as what we accomplish. Our Neogen DNA is reflected in the way we support customers and one another: cultivating belonging, inspiring and innovating, acting with integrity, delivering on our promises, and fostering optimism.

Role Impact

Lead the scientific design and hands-on laboratory development of rapid nucleic acid-based methods for detecting and differentiating foodborne pathogens.

Plan and execute laboratory studies, analyze results, troubleshoot assay performance, and use experimental findings to guide subsequent development.

Use bioinformatics and genomic data to guide molecular assay design and support the development of reliable pathogen detection solutions.

Integrate scientific and technical insights into customer needs to support the development of reliable and practical product solutions in collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Strengthen internal capabilities in molecular assay development, microbiological, bioinformatics, and applied statistics capability through technical leadership and mentoring.

What You’ll Do

Molecular assay design and development:

Design, optimize, and troubleshoot rapid nucleic acid-based assays for foodborne pathogen detection using relevant amplification technologies. Evaluate assay performance, controls, specificity, sensitivity, robustness, and contamination risks.

Pathogen microbiology and laboratory execution: Plan and perform laboratory studies with foodborne pathogens and related organisms, including culture preparation, enrichment, inoculation, molecular testing, and interpretation of results. Design studies that account for strain diversity, food matrices, and enrichment conditions, and competitive organisms when evaluating assay performance.

Biostatistics and experimental design: Apply appropriate statistical methods to study design, sampling plans, acceptance criteria, and analysis of assay performance data.

Bioinformatics and genomics: Use bioinformatics tools, genomic data, and sequence-analysis approaches to support target selection, assay design, and interpretation of factors that may

influences assay performance.

Verification and validation: As part of a cross-functional team, translate product requirements and claims into protocols and evidence packages. Lead internal and support external studies supporting fit-for-purpose performance and, where applicable, AOAC, ISO, MicroVal, USDA-FSIS, FDA, or other relevant pathways.

Product realization: Collaborate with Product Development, Engineering, Quality, Regulatory, Operations, and Commercial teams to advance concepts through feasibility, development, transfer, launch, and continuous improvement.

Scientific leadership: Provide technical leadership, communicate scientific evidence and risk clearly, review technical work, mentor colleagues, and contribute to scientific collaborations and external engagement.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline with at least 8 years of relevant experience; Master’s degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience; or Ph.D. with at least 3 years of relevant experience. An advanced degree is preferred.

Demonstrated experience designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting nucleic acid-based assays, including primer/probe design, assay controls, multiplex assay development, and interpretation of amplification data.

Strong experience using bioinformatics, comparative genomics, and sequence-analysis tools to support molecular assay development . Experience with tools such as NCBI BLAST, Geneious, Benchling, CLC Genomics Workbench, SnapGene, BioNumerics, Primer3, OligoAnalyzer, MEGA, R, Python, or similar platforms is preferred.

Substantial hands-on laboratory experience developing and troubleshooting molecular assays using foodborne pathogens or closely related microbial systems, with the ability and interest to remain actively engaged in laboratory work.

Experience planning, executing, and interpreting analytical performance studies, including sensitivity, specificity, robustness, repeatability, reproducibility, and limit-of-detection studies. Experience utilizing public and commercial genomic resources such as NCBI GenBank, RefSeq, SRA, GenomeTrakr, EnteroBase, and other microbial genomic databases.

Working knowledge of applied statistics and experimental design used in assay development and performance evaluation. Ability to lead complex technical projects, make evidence-based decisions, and translate scientific findings into practical molecular detection solutions.

Strong written and verbal scientific communication skills, including technical reports, protocols, presentations, publications, and cross-functional decision support.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience developing molecular detection assays for food safety, environmental, clinical, veterinary, or diagnostic applications.

Experience advancing molecular assay concepts through feasibility, development, verification, validation, product transfer, and commercialization.

Experience with sequencing technologies and genomic data, including next-generation sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, targeted sequencing, or related applications.

Familiarity with recognized validation frameworks and standards, including AOAC, ISO 16140, MicroVal, USDA-FSIS, FDA BAM, or similar programs.

Experience working within regulated product development environments involving Quality Systems, Design Controls, Risk Management, Verification, and Validation.

Working knowledge of statistical methods used for assay development and validation, including experimental design, method comparison, probability-of-detection analysis, and interpretation of assay performance data.

A record of scientific publications, patents, conference presentations, external collaborations, or recognized technical leadership in molecular diagnostics, microbial genomics, or pathogen detection.

Core Technical Capabilities

Capability

Examples of Relevant Expertise

Molecular detection

qPCR, RT-qPCR, LAMP, NEAR, other isothermal amplification, emerging rapid nucleic acid detection

Assay and oligonucleotide design

Target selection, primer/probe design, controls, multiplexing, analytical specificity, contamination mitigation