Scientist III - Morrisville, NC

Job description

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, citizenship, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, disability status, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Description

At BASF, we create chemistry through the power of connected minds. By balancing economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, we are building a more sustainable future through chemistry. As the world’s leading chemical company, we help our customers in nearly every industry meet the current and future needs of society through science and innovation.

We provide a challenging and rewarding work environment with a strong emphasis on process safety, as well as the safety of our employees and the communities we operate in and are always working to form the best team—especially from within, through an emphasis on lifelong learning and development.

And we are constantly striving to become an even better place to work. BASF has been recognized by Forbes Magazine in 2020 as one of America’s Best Employers. Come join us on our journey to create solutions for a sustainable future!

Scientist III (2001974)- Morrisville, NC

Where the Chemistry Happens

We are seeking a professional like you to join our team.  In this role as a Scientist III, you will be part of BASF’s Crop Analytics global laboratory network which provides high throughput molecular diagnostics for Quality control and product development purposes to our field crop businesses. This is an excellent opportunity to join a fast-paced laboratory environment and share your technical expertise, mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills to facilitate, schedule and conduct PCR based-analytics in support of our Cotton and Soybean requestors. A desirable candidate will have first-hand experience with fluorescence-based PCR analytics and their application to genetically modified plants, conducting breeding activities involving GM crops in a greenhouse or field setting, deadline-based project coordination, and supervision of junior staff.

Qualifications - BASF recognizes institutions of Higher Education which are accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or equivalent

Formula for Success
Leveraging your Bachelor Degree in Biology, Plant science, Genetics or Molecular Biology or related and your experience in agricultural molecular diagnostics or plant breeding, you will coordinate, prioritize, and conduct high-throughput DNA-based analyses of agricultural samples using fluorescence-based PCR, and advanced instrumentation including robotics. Your knowledge of molecular diagnostics as applied to the screening of genetically modified plants and their application in molecular breeding will be essential as you coordinate requests for one of our four key requestor groups, our field crop teams in soybean and cotton.
·  Your prior hands-on experience with plant breeding in a field or greenhouse setting, management of genetically modified materials, understanding of elite line and variety development, exposure to seed production operations and familiarity with quality control and assurance as applied to a breeding program, will be essential to your success as you facilitate interactions with our field breeding teams, develop testing strategies and coordinate their testing needs within the lab.
·  Your ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and quickly learn new methods and instrumentation will be essential as you work and coordinate others safely within a dynamic and fast-paced laboratory environment to generate and approve analytical data packages for submission to internal partners. In this Scientist III role, you will expedite breeding projects within the lab to ensure internal deadlines are met. Your flexibility and drive will allow you to adapt your daily work routine as needed to effectively organize and complete the daily, weekly and monthly workload within your area of responsibility.
·  Your superior verbal and written communication skills will be instrumental as you interact with internal requestors, follow and provide oral and written instructions, work within the lab independently and with a team of colleagues, review raw and processed analytical data, approve and prepare reports and communicate and discuss any issues with other team members, and requestors. You will work with your peer request coordinators to ensure that all lab requests are effectively cross-prioritized and scheduled in line with lab capacity and available FTE.
·  Utilizing your excellent knowledge and understanding of the technical aspects of DNA extraction, PCR, Real-time PCR (Qualitative and quantitative) and allelic discrimination/SNP genotyping, you will develop plans to optimize our analytical workflows, validate new methods and improve existing technologies. You will conduct and evaluate training of junior scientists within your area of specialization and be responsible for the coaching and development of up to three junior scientists. As part of our goal for practicing continuous improvement, you will communicate with counterparts within the global lab network to share best practices and participate and lead in local Six sigma and LEAN projects.
·  Your unwavering commitment to workplace compliance, health and safety will be evident as you implement and follow applicable safety, biosafety, stewardship and QMS guidelines and reference standard documentation including work instructions, protocols, and methods and user-instructions in order to maintain the highest standards of traceability and accuracy in your work. Prior experience authoring and reviewing QMS documentation and familiarity with documenting deviations and the RCA/CAPA process is required.
·  Demonstrating your prior experience selecting, implementing and operating specialized automation such as real-time PCR systems, tape array platforms, microfluidic PCR systems, liquid handlers or related instrumentation, you will troubleshoot advanced hardware and software issues, coordinate with vendors for service contracts and communicate with global technical experts as required. You will facilitate instrumentation improvements and new process implementations associated with global strategic objectives and in line with the Crop Analytics operational plan. Your computer proficiency will allow you to understand and operate the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), PQA, Phoenix Repositories, CERES, PRISM and other instrument-specific software systems. Your experience working with advanced features in Microsoft office applications and experience with Visual basic or other scripting language is a plus. Create Your Own Chemistry: What We Offer You

Adding value to our customers begins with adding value to you. You@BASF is the suite of benefits, perks, programs and unique opportunities we offer to support you—the whole you—in all stages of your life and career. With you@BASF, you create your own chemistry.

The total rewards that you receive as a BASF employee go way beyond a paycheck. From competitive health and insurance plans, to robust retirement benefits that include company-matching contributions, to making sure you never stop learning, we believe investing in you is investing in our success. Working for a large, global organization, you’ll have a chance to grow professionally and personally, expand your network and build a rewarding and dynamic career.

BASF provides interesting and challenging learning and development opportunities to help you make the most of your talents and your job.