Scientific Engineering Associate

About the role

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has multiple openings for a Scientific Engineering Associate in Berkeley, CA. This is a full-time, career appointment, exempt (monthly paid) from overtime pay. The position is represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes and requires a background check; any convictions will be evaluated for relevance. Work is performed onsite at 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720. Work schedules depend on business needs. Relocation assistance is not available, and visa sponsorship is not provided; candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. at hire.

Responsibilities

• Perform and supervise nonexempt staff in the development and application of mass spectrometry-related workflows in a high-throughput environment.
• Apply engineering, scientific, and technical concepts to develop and implement ESI-LC-MS/MS and other mass spectrometry-related workflows for analyzing microbial metabolites and secondary metabolite production.
• Perform, oversee, and expertly troubleshoot all aspects of LC-MS workflows, including sample processing, instrument setup, operation and maintenance, data quality control, software workflows, and coordination with service engineers.
• Develop, optimize, and standardize sample preparation and extraction methods for diverse environmental samples, with emphasis on soil.
• Onboard new mass spectrometry instrumentation and protocols and integrate them into high-throughput production workflows.
• Monitor and ensure adherence to production metrics for high-throughput metabolomics workflows.
• Perform both standard and custom mass spectrometry data analysis.
• Prepare results, summaries, and conclusions for JGI users and other collaborators.
• Manage day-to-day laboratory operations, including lab organization and setup, instrument scheduling and prioritization, sample workflows, equipment maintenance, purchasing and inventory of consumables, freezer organization, and waste management.
• Manage and ensure compliance with safety requirements for operating a metabolomics lab.
• Supervise and train technical staff, including undergraduate students and research assistants, providing guidance on LC-MS/MS workflows, data quality control, laboratory procedures, safety practices, and general lab operations.
• Continuously improve and optimize laboratory processes to strengthen metabolomics platform operations, including development of new internal standard mixtures, analytical methods, and automation protocols.
• Collaborate closely with internal and external partners across JGI groups to customize experimental plans, support cross-team and cross-group R&D projects, and advance user-driven science.
• Contribute to the development, maintenance, and enhancement of metabolomics infrastructure and Laboratory Information Management systems (LIMS).
• Contribute to scientific works, including the preparation and publication of peer-reviewed journal articles.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Analytical Chemistry, Engineering, Biochemistry, Bioengineering or a related field and 3 years of experience in the job offered or in a related occupation.
• Experience operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting Thermo Orbitrap ESI-LC-MS/MS mass spectrometry instrumentation such as IQ-X or Exploris mass spectrometers.
• Experience with metabolomics sample processing equipment including UHPLC, SpeedVacs, lyophilizers, centrifuges, N₂ generators on a daily basis.
• Onboarding new Thermo Orbitrap MS instrumentation and accessory equipment (N₂ generators, UHPLCs, pumps, etc.) and implementing them into production