Position Function:
The Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at Mississippi State University is recruiting a full-time 12-month Research Associate to run and maintain two liquid chromatography (LC)-mass spectrometers located at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The applicant will support targeted/untargeted metabolomics and proteomics efforts in the college. The instruments in the department include a Thermo Quantis 240 quadrupole-orbitrap hybrid system and a TSQ Quantis triple quadrupole, which are used to identify and quantify small molecules in biological systems. Both systems are interfaced with UPLC inlets.
Salary Grade: TBD
Please see Staff Compensation Structure for salary ranges.
Area of Specialization:
Mass Spectrometry Facility Manager
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Broadly oversee day-to-day operations of the College of Veterinary Medicine’s Mass Spectrometry facility. This includes the operation of the instrumentation and working with users to optimize sample preparation.
2. Maintain cleanliness of the facility and other assigned instrumentation and monitor users to ensure that instruments are operated correctly.
3. Develop analytical methods for measuring endogenous small molecules in cells and tissues, such as polar organic acids, amino acids, and lipid species, in addition to therapeutic drugs and environmental toxicants. Both targeted and untargeted approaches will be used for analysis.
4. Perform routine maintenance on the instruments, such as cleaning ion sources and maintaining pumps, in addition to sample preparation protocols.
5. Prepare mobile phases and calibrate the instruments when needed.
6. Participate in regular career development and workshops (including potential conference travel) to stay current on MS techniques and instrumentation.
7. Monitor instrument billing and maintain a positive, supportive environment for LC-MS and GC-MS users.
8. Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Applicants must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related area; Prior analytical experience with LC-MS/MS is required, which could have been gained on triple quadrupoles, ion traps, orbitraps, or TOF instruments in industry or academia.
1.Beginning with a bachelor's degree:
a. A professional employee with a bachelor's degree and demonstrated competence can begin work at the Research Associate I level.
b. To begin at the Research Associate II level, one must have a bachelor's degree and a
minimum of 3 years of relevant experience and the equivalent of a master's degree.
c. To begin at the Research Associate III level, one must have a bachelor's degree and a
minimum of 6 years of relevant experience and the equivalent of a master's degree.
2. Beginning with a master's degree:
a. A professional employee with a master's degree and a minimum of 1 year of relevant experience and demonstrated competency can begin work at the Research Associate II
level.
b. To begin at the Research Associate III level, one must have a master's degree and a
minimum of 3 years of experience.
c. To begin at the Senior Research Associate level, one must have a master's degree and a
minimum of 6 years of experience.
3. Beginning with a doctoral degree:
a. A professional employee with a doctoral degree with 2 years of relevant experience and
demonstrated competence can begin work at the Research Associate III level.
b. To begin at the Senior Research Associate level, one must have a doctoral
degree and a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.
Rank and Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ph.D. degree is preferred. Applicants with prior experience with managing mass spectrometry instrumentation or performing metabolomics analysis are particularly encouraged to apply. Prior experience with software that enables chemical compound identification/annotation, such as Compound DiscovererTM or LipidSearchTM, would be beneficial but is not required.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Applicants must possess the skills needed to organize and manage the assigned duties.
Excellent organization, communication, and teamwork skills are a must.
Working Conditions and Physical Effort
Applicants should be able to lift containers up to 20 lbs.
Instructions for Applying:
All applicants must apply online at www.msujobs.msstate.edu and attach a cover letter, current curriculum vitae, and complete contact information for at least three professional references.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:
MSU is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, pregnancy, gender identity, status as a U.S. veteran, and/or any other status protected by applicable law. We always welcome nominations and applications from women, members of any minority group, and others who share our passion for building a diverse community that reflects the diversity in our student population.
What do I do if I need an accommodation?
In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.
If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.
