Research Scientist at University of South Florida in Tampa, FL

• Under the direction of the Principal Investigator, provide experimental assistance for scientific projects. Specific types of experimental work may include protein expression and purification; molecular biology (e.g., cloning, PCR); biochemical assays; and cryo-electron microscopy. Most necessary training will be provided.
• Under the direction of the Principal Investigator, design and execute protein bioinformatics projects. Duties include mining public databases for homologs via BLAST/HMMER; performing sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree construction with software such as IQ‑TREE, PAML, or FastML. Most necessary training will be provided.
• Keep meticulous laboratory records and communicate effectively and transparently about experiments.
• Write clean, well‑documented Python/Bash scripts and manage them with Git.
• Participate in weekly laboratory and planning meetings.
• Stay up-to-date on literature relevant to research areas as required.
• Assemble and analyze research data, assist in manuscript preparation, and contribute to publications.
• Manage laboratory materials, supplies, and equipment, ensuring compliance with safety protocols and good laboratory practices.
• Compose training manuals or procedural guides on laboratory equipment and bioinformatics tools. 
• Provide general administrative support related to research as needed

Minimum Qualifications:

This position requires a Bachelor’s degree in a natural, physical or medical science.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understanding of basic molarity calculations, and knowledge of how to make laboratory reagents and buffers.
• Previous experience with standard molecular biology techniques (PCR, cloning, etc.) or protein expression/purification would be a plus.
• Hands‑on experience with BLAST (or HMMER), sequence alignment tools (e.g., MAFFT, Clustal Omega, MUSCLE), and basic Unix command‑line usage.
• Proficiency in Python for data processing and visualization.
• Practical experience with phylogenetic software (IQ‑TREE, RAxML, PhyML) and downstream analyses.
• Familiarity with HPC environments, workflow managers (Snakemake/Nextflow), and containerization (Docker/Singularity).
• Working knowledge of protein biochemistry or structural biology concepts.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational, record-keeping, and time-management skills with strong attention to detail.
• The ability to troubleshoot, problem solve, and perform a variety of new techniques.
• The ability to work collaboratively with a diverse variety of people at all levels and from all backgrounds.

Additional Information for Candidates: 

This position is eligible for Visa Sponsorship

Senate Bill 1310- The Florida Senate (https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2023/1310) is conditional upon meeting all employment eligibility requirements in the U.S.

SB 1310: Substitution of Work Experience for Postsecondary Education Requirements

A public employer may include a postsecondary degree as a baseline requirement only as an alternative to the number of years of direct experience required, not to exceed:

• (a) Two years of direct experience for an associate degree;
• (b) Four years of direct experience for a bachelor’s degree;
• (c) Six years of direct experience for a master’s degree;
• (d) Seven years of direct experience for a professional degree; or
• (e) Nine years of direct experience for a doctoral degree

Related work experience may not substitute for any required licensure, certification, or registration required for the position of employment as established by the public employer and indicated in the advertised description of the position of employment.

Minimum Qualifications that require a high school diploma are exempt from SB 1310.

Working at USF

With approximately 16,000 employees, the University of South Florida is one of the largest employers in the Tampa Bay area. We are dedicated to cultivating a talented, engaged and driven workforce that strives to be bold. Employees excel in USF‘s rich academic environment, which fosters their development and advancement. In 2025, Forbes recognized USF as one of Florida’s best large employers, ranked No. 1 among the state’s 12 public universities. Our first-class benefits package includes medical, dental and life insurance plans, retirement plan options, employee and dependent tuition programs, generous leave, and hundreds of employee perks and discounts.

About USF 

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee and USF Health. USF is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 50 public university and the best value in Florida. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and in the highest tier nationwide. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $738 million in research funding in 2024 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of more than $6 billion. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Athletic Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.

Compliance and Federal Notices

This position may be subject to a Level 1 or Level 2 criminal background check.

Applicants have rights under Federal Employment Laws: 

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Applicants for USF employment are entitled to request reasonable accommodation(s) in the application process. A request is to be made at least five (5) working days prior to the time the accommodation(s) is needed. Visit the Central Human Resources ADA Accommodations webpage for more information on requesting an accommodation during the application/interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of South Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains affirmative action programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.  This job description does not constitute an employment contract.