Viral Measurement Tools and Reference Materials

Overview

The Material Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking
qualified persons (U.S. Citizens preferred) to contribute to cutting-edge research projects aimed at
developing viral measurement tools and reference materials in service of expanding the NIST portfolio
of microbial measurement assurance to better serve stakeholder. A successful applicant will join a
dynamic, multidisciplinary team working with cutting-edge technologies in the NIST Complex Microbial
Systems Group. They will contribute to a growing program supporting technology development in the
areas of biosurveillance and microbiome.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology, Virology, Microbiology or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant laboratory experience.
• Experience measuring cytopathic effect using plaque assays.
• Experience developing viral infectivity assays.
• Experience measuring the infectivity of non-cytopathic viruses.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Research Proposal

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Responsible for maintaining (onboarding, culturing, characterizing) a portfolio of diverse viruses (up to BSL-2) to meet varied stakeholder needs
• Perform viral and eukaryotic cell culture, plaque assays, optimization and develop of viral culture protocols
• Consult and work with stakeholders in the microbiome and pathogen detection communities
• Keep accurate and organized electronic records
• Present results of the work in the form of reports, manuscripts, oral presentations