Scientist III - Molecular Biology and Genomics R&D

Job description

Work Schedule Standard (Mon-Fri) Environmental Conditions Laboratory Setting, Office, Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.) Job Description As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you'll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world's toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer. Location: 100% on-site in Austin, TX. The Scientist III, Molecular Biology R&D is responsible for leading the development, optimization, and technical execution of innovative sample preparation and molecular biology workflows, supporting new product development and strategic genomics, liquid biopsy, and nucleic acid extraction programs within the Biosciences portfolio. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated scientist with strong expertise in sample preparation technologies, next-generation sequencing applications, and molecular biology workflow development. This individual will contribute to innovation initiatives, lead technical investigations, and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to advance new products and workflow solutions that address emerging customer needs. What you will do: Design and execute experiments to develop, optimize, and validate sample preparation workflows, with a primary focus on magnetic bead-based nucleic acid extraction technologies and automated processing on KingFisher platforms Lead technical investigations and feasibility studies to improve workflow performance, reagent chemistry, automation compatibility, and customer experience across genomics, liquid biopsy, and molecular biology applications Analyze experimental data, troubleshoot technical challenges, and develop innovative solutions that improve extraction efficiency, reproducibility, scalability, and overall workflow robustness Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Product Management, Applications, Quality, Operations, and Automation partners to advance new product development, workflow enhancements, and platform attachment initiatives Generate and maintain technical documentation including protocols, study reports, SOPs, and development records while supporting technology scouting, innovation activities, and strategic roadmap execution Requirements: Bachelor's degree and 5+ years of experience, Master's degree and 3+ years of experience, or PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, or a related scientific discipline Strong hands-on experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflows, including library preparation, target enrichment, liquid biopsy applications, cell-free DNA sample preparation, single-cell and/or spatial genomics workflows, and assay optimization; additional experience with nucleic acid extraction, PCR, qPCR, RT-PCR, and related molecular biology techniques is required Demonstrated ability to design experiments, analyze complex datasets, troubleshoot technical issues, and drive scientific problem solving in a product development or applied research environment; knowledge of AI-driven experimental design or workflow optimization is a plus Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, cross-functional product development environment while effectively managing multiple priorities; strong written and verbal communication skills with experience preparing technical reports, documenting experimental results, and presenting scientific findings to diverse audiences Experience with automated sample preparation platforms, including KingFisher systems or other laboratory automation technologies, is preferred Track record of scientific contributions through publications, conference presentations, patents, or product launches preferred; must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship