Senior Research Associate

Position Information

Classification Title Research Professional AD FLSA Exempt FTE 1.0 Minimum Qualifications

Requires at least a baccalaureate degree in the field. Please contact your Human Resources office for an evaluation of education/experience in lieu of the required minimum qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications

PhD in biochemistry and/or molecular biology. The applicant is expected to have an exceptional track record with first author publications supporting expertise in recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells and bacteria, including protein purification, characterization, and enzymatic assays.

Position Summary

The successful candidate will be a highly experienced biochemist with detailed knowledge in recombinant protein expression, protein purification, enzyme assays and kinetic analysis. The candidate is expected to have experience in personnel supervision, have good interpersonal skills to work in a diverse research environment, and have an exceptional track record of publications in the protein expression and characterization field. The successful applicant for this position will interact with other faculty members, staff, students, and the lab PI (Dr. Moremen) as well as faculty, staff and students in other departments on campus and outside of the University. The candidate will help in the supervision of other members of the Moremen lab. In addition, the candidate will be expected to contribute to preparation of reports and publication of their research efforts.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

• Recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells and bacteria.
• Experience in recombinant protein purification, characterization, and enzymatic assays.
• Exceptional track record with first-author publications supporting expertise in recombinant protein expression in mammalian cells and bacteria, including protein purification, characterization, and enzymatic assays.

Physical Demands

Normal lab activity.

Is driving a responsibility of this position? No Is this a Position of Trust? Yes Does this position have operation, access, or control of financial resources? No Does this position require a P-Card? No Is having a P-Card an essential function of this position? No Does this position have direct interaction or care of children under the age of 18 or direct patient care? No Does this position have Security Access (e.g., public safety, IT security, personnel records, patient records, or access to chemicals and medications) Yes Credit and P-Card policy

Be advised a credit check will be required for all positions with financial responsibilities. For additional information about the credit check criteria, visit the UGA Credit Background Check website.

Background Investigation Policy

Offers of employment are contingent upon completion of a background investigation including, a criminal background check demonstrating your eligibility for employment with the University of Georgia; confirmation of the credentials and employment history reflected in your application materials (including reference checks) as they relate to the job-based requirements of the position applied for; and, if applicable, a satisfactory credit check. You may also be subject to a pre-employment drug test for positions with high-risk responsibilities, if applicable. Please visit the UGA Background Check website.

Duties/Responsibilities

Duties/Responsibilities

Oversight, Design, and Generation of Glycoenzyme Expression Constructs

• Design recombinant expression constructs for a large library of glycoenzymes, using computational analysis of modeled protein structures and applying protein engineering strategies to target specificities in glycan synthesis.
• Plan and execute site-directed mutagenesis, domain swapping, and construct optimization, ensuring a range of enzyme variants to yield broad substrate and activity ranges.
• Develop and document experimental protocols for cloning, expression, and characterization of glycoenzymes, maintaining accurate and reproducible workflows.
• Evaluate protein models and predict structure-function relationships to prioritize constructs for synthesis and analysis.
• Troubleshoot construct design issues, incorporating feedback from initial expression and activity results to refine and improve enzyme design.

Percentage of time 40 Duties/Responsibilities

Oversight and Execution of Protein Purification and Characterization

• Oversee and perform large-scale expression and purification of recombinant proteins in various host systems (e.g., E. coli, mammalian cells), troubleshooting issues in protein yield, solubility, and purity.
• Conduct detailed biophysical and enzymatic analyses (e.g., SDS-PAGE, thermal stability, enzyme assays, kinetic profiling), characterizing both wild-type and engineered enzyme forms for activity and stability.
• Optimize purification protocols (affinity, size-exclusion) for recovery of active recombinant proteins, including scaling up for preparative purposes.
• Analyze and interpret kinetic parameters (e.g., Km, Vmax, turnover number) for multiple substrates to generate comparative data datasets for enzyme variants.
• Document experimental outcomes, maintaining accurate lab records and preparing technical summaries to guide team efforts.

Percentage of time 30 Duties/Responsibilities

Supervision and Mentoring

• Directly supervise research technician(s), graduate, and undergraduate students, assigning tasks, setting priorities, and monitoring progress related to enzyme expression projects.
• Develop training materials and provide hands-on instruction, ensuring junior staff and trainees are proficient in molecular biology, protein expression, and analytical methods.
• Facilitate regular check-ins and constructive feedback sessions, mentoring trainees and fostering a collegial, high-performance group culture.
• Organize and lead project meetings for supervised staff, clarifying goals, troubleshooting experiments, and resolving challenges as they arise.

Percentage of time 10 Duties/Responsibilities

Project Reporting and Communication

• Prepare detailed written reports summarizing project status, challenges, milestones, and recent findings for distribution to the PI, collaborators, and funding bodies.
• Present project progress and troubleshoot issues at weekly laboratory meetings, using data visualizations and oral communication skills to clearly communicate complex results.
• Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts, grant applications, and presentations for scientific conferences, as required by the PI.

Percentage of time 10 Duties/Responsibilities

Coordination with External Collaborators

• Coordinate experimental efforts and timelines with outside collaborative partners, including academic and industry groups.
• Prepare and ship samples (proteins, constructs, data) according to collaboration agreements, ensuring compliance with shipping regulations and quality standards.
• Draft and review collaborative reports summarizing shared results and experimental findings.
• Serve as the primary contact for collaborators, responding to technical questions, coordinating material transfers, and ensuring joint objectives are met.

Percentage of time 10

Contact Information

Recruitment Contact

Contact Details

For questions concerning this position or recruitment progression, please refer to the Recruitment Contact listed below.

Recruitment Contact Name Kristie Huff Recruitment Contact Email ... Recruitment Contact Phone

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• List of References with Contact Information

Optional Documents

Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact University HR (...).

The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status.