. Job Description Summary: Certis Biologicals, a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of biopesticides, is seeking a senior scientist for research, development, and technical support of microbial products. The successful candidate will be responsible for all laboratory activities for analysis, identification, and characterization of fungal, bacterial, and viral strains and formulations in support of new product development and registration, pilot fermentation, manufacturing process development, and competitive benchmarking. II. Duties and Responsibilities: * Overall responsibility for ensuring that laboratory studies in support of product registrations are conducted in accordance with regulatory requirements. Monitor and be accountable for the validity, quality, and timeliness of all such studies, including those conducted by outside contractors. Prepare protocols, reports, and responses to regulatory agencies. * Supervision and training of associate scientists and laboratory support personnel in research methodology, analytical techniques/instrumentation, and safety. Maintenance and troubleshooting of laboratory equipment. * Participation in strategic planning to meet scientific and regulatory objectives. Develop and manage laboratory operational and capital expenditure budgets. * Active participation in multidisciplinary teams: o Serving as the lead microbiology resource for fermentation, formulation, analytical chemistry, and regulatory teams, as well as for commercial product managers; o Participation in development of microbial innovation pipeline through discovery, in-licensing, and improvement or extension of existing microbial technologies; o Contributing to product knowledge training and technical support of sales. * Maintain professional standing in the discipline: o Stay abreast of developments and scientific literature in key research areas such as fermentation technology, molecular plant/microbe interactions, microbial control (of plant disease, arthropods, and/or nematodes), etc. o Identify and evaluate technical advances with potential applications to or impacts on Certis, including opportunities to develop patents or other intellectual property. o Represent the company through participation in professional conferences and scientific meetings. Contribute to scientific journals where appropriate. III. Education/Experience: Job Title: Senior Microbiologist Department: General Technical Support Date: September 2021 Location: Columbia, Maryland Job Reports to: VP, Research and Development * PhD in Microbiology with 5 - 10 years practical experience in fermentation (liquid and/or solid phase), plant or invertebrate pathology, microbial control, or other applied subdiscipline. * Strong interpersonal management, time management, negotiation, and organizational skills. * Demonstrated communications skills (written, oral, presentations) and technical writing experience. Proficiency with MS Office software. * In-depth knowledge of and experience with current molecular biology analytical techniques, (including sample isolation and purification, PCR, gel electrophoresis, gene sequencing) in addition to classical microbiological methods such as dilution plating and use of selective media. * Knowledge of US-EPA, FIFRA, and international guidelines and requirements regarding Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), including study protocol design and reporting. Participate in oversight of outside contractors conducting GLP studies in support of product registrations. The ideal candidate will have leadership, adaptability, and organizational skills with potential for future advancement into positions of greater responsibility for the company's long-term strategic growth. Position is located at the company's headquarters in the suburban Baltimore/Washington region. Certis provides health benefits, a 401(k)-retirement plan with company matching contributions, and a performance-based annual bonus opportunity in addition to base salary. Certis Biologicals is an Equal Opportunity Employer.