Agilent Research Laboratories, Boulder, Colorado

To apply search for RM4010270 at https://careers.agilent.com/

Agilent Research Laboratories, which powers the growth of Agilent Technologies through breakthrough science and technology, has a new opening for a Research Chemist with expertise in organic chemistry. Responsibilities will include developing new or improved methods for chemical synthesis, purification and analysis of nucleic acids and applications in life sciences and clinical research to work in Boulder, Colorado. You will join an innovative, multidisciplinary team currently developing state-of-the-art technologies for chemical synthesis of RNA and DNA oligonucleotides and their application to gene editing, functional genomics, and other life sciences applications. We are looking for your talent and expertise to investigate, invent and define robust processes for novel chemistries and reagents and to investigate, through internal and external collaborations, their application to develop breakthrough sample manipulation and measurement technologies that leverage the novel chemistries. As part of this effort, the candidate will communicate progress and results to the research and development team, to external collaborators, to management, and, when appropriate, to the general scientific community via presentations at scientific conferences and peer reviewed publications.

Agilent Research Labs looks beyond the evolution of current products and platforms to create the technologies that will underlie tomorrow's breakthroughs, enabling Agilent customers to answer questions at the leading edge across the continuum of opportunities spanning life science research to clinical and applied chemical markets.  Our horizon is broad, encompassing synergies across Agilent, paving the way for existing businesses and seeding new businesses to create competitive differentiation and compelling value for current and future customers. To accomplish these goals, we attract and retain top technical talent, collaborate with global research leaders in academia, government, and industry, and promote a culture of innovation and teamwork across our highly multi-disciplinary staff of life scientists, physical scientists, computer scientists and engineers. 

Required Qualifications 

-          PhD in Chemistry, plus four years postdoctoral and/or industrial experience, or equivalent.
-          Demonstrated success innovating and developing new chemistries, for example, the design and execution of novel synthesis chemistries involving nucleic acids, biopolymers, or solid phase reactions as evidence by peer-reviewed publications and/or patents.
-          Demonstrated knowledge of physical organic chemistry and biophysical chemistry.
-          5+ years’ experience in optimization of purification and analytical protocols in the context of developing new synthesis chemistries.
-          Engagement with leaders in the scientific research community as evidenced, for example, by active participation in conferences and cross-lab collaborations.
-          Experience performing multi-step synthetic organic chemistry.
-          Demonstrated initiative and pursuit of successful collaborative research projects with interdisciplinary teams.
-          Strong problem solving and analytical expertise.
-          Excellent communication skills including with expert and inter-disciplinary audiences.
-          Excellent teamwork skills and demonstrated experience working in inter-disciplinary teams.

Desired Qualifications:

-          Expertise in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis, using and trouble-shooting automated solid-phase synthesizers and optimizing and scaling up novel synthetic protocols for natural and modified nucleic acids.
-          Demonstrated depth of knowledge evaluating, using or creating novel surface chemistries for the use in solid-phase synthesis.
-          Hands-on experience manipulating RNA in an R&D environment using RNAse-free lab techniques.
-          Experience with the design, development and/or troubleshooting of prototype instrumentation.
-          Experience in nucleic acids enzymology and biochemistry.
-          Experience in molecular and cell biology techniques including PCR, cell culture, transfections, confocal microscopy, including applications involving Crispr-based methods.