What are the responsibilities and job description for the Laboratory Research Specialist position at Axiota Animal Health?
About the Company
Axiota Animal Health is an innovative global company that discovers, develops, and markets products for beef and dairy producers consistent with market and consumer demands. Axiota’s focus is to deliver superior, first-in-class products that are scientifically proven with known modes of action, provide measurable commercial efficacy, and are accepted by consumers.
About the Role
This job is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Axiota is looking for a driven, hands-on Laboratory Research Specialist to play a key role in supporting our R&D team. This is an opportunity to work in a fast-paced, applied research environment where your work directly contributes to advancing innovative solutions and improving real-world outcomes. We’re seeking someone who takes ownership, thrives in the lab, and is motivated to grow their technical expertise while making a meaningful impact.
Responsibilities
- Independently execute laboratory experiments and assays with precision and reliability
- Support critical R&D initiatives through experimental setup, sample preparation, and data generation
- Troubleshoot and optimize assays, applying scientific reasoning to solve problems efficiently
- Ensure high-quality, compliant documentation aligned with GLP/GMP standards
- Own day-to-day laboratory operations, including media preparation, equipment readiness, and workflow organization
- Manage laboratory tools, processes, and documentation to drive efficiency and meet project timelines
- Contribute to continuous improvement of lab processes and SOPs
- Collaborate closely with scientists and cross-functional teams to support evolving research needs
- Isolate target bacterial strains using selective/differential media, serial dilution, and streak plating techniques
- Perform anaerobic culturing (anaerobic chamber) for strict and facultative anaerobes.
- Identify and characterize isolates using 16S rRNA sequencing
- Confirm and quantify strains via qPCR
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a related field
- Foundational understanding of microbial culturing techniques
- Strong documentation practices and attention to detail
Preferred:
- MS in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a related field
- Hands-on experience with bacterial isolation techniques (e.g., selective/differential media, streak plating, serial dilution)
- Experience with molecular identification methods (16S sequencing, qPCR, or similar)
- Experience with anaerobic microbiology
- Background in gut or rumen microbiome research
- Basic bioinformatics literacy (genome assembly/annotation tools)
Axiota is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to foster a culture of respect and seek to empower each individual. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, experience, and abilities. This employer uses E-Verify.