Director of Protein Core
Massachusetts General Hospital(MGH)

Job Info

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Summary:

The Ragon Institute is a highly unique, innovative, and collaborative research center at the forefront of biomedical science. Founded by Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT, and Harvard, the Ragon vision is a bold one: to harness the power of the immune system to prevent and cure human disease on a global scale. This vision is pursued and advanced every day by a group of highly motivated individuals. The Ragon Institute, at every level, depends upon collaboration, compassion, dedication, and innovation. It is a results-oriented organization that seeks people who not only embrace these values but who thrive in teams and want to work in a dynamic environment.

The Director of Protein Core will lead and manage all aspects of the protein core facility under the guidance of Drs. Daniel Lingwood and Aaron Schmidt. This role is crucial for providing expertise in protein expression, purification, characterization, and structure-function relationships. The Director will work closely with faculty, other core facilities at the Ragon Institute, and across MGH, Harvard, and MIT to support a diverse portfolio of projects. Additional interactions with industry partners may also occur. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in protein biochemistry, structural biology, leadership experience, and the ability to oversee both scientific and operational aspects of the core facility.

Job Duties:

Leadership and Oversight:

• Direct the daily operations of the Protein Core Facility, including staff supervision, budget management, and resource allocation
• Develop and implement long-term strategies to enhance the facility's capabilities and service offerings.
• Train, mentor, and supervise a team of scientists, technicians, and support staff.
• Ensure compliance with institutional policies, safety regulations, and quality control standards.

Scientific Expertise:

• Provide guidance on cloning, protein expression, purification, and biochemical and biophysical characterization
• Help troubleshoot recombinant protein expression
• Facilitate structural determination of protein and protein complexes as needed
• Knowledge and implementation of directed-evolution platforms
• Knowledge of protein prediction and computational approaches for protein design
• Collaborate with research faculty and external partners to design experiments and develop protocols that align with their scientific goals.
• Stay current on emerging technologies and instrumentation in protein biochemistry to introduce innovative approaches to the facility
• Troubleshoot and optimize workflows to improve the efficiency and reproducibility of experimental results.

Technical Operations:

• Oversee the operation, maintenance, and upgrading of instrumentation and equipment, including but not limited to chromatography systems, FACS sorters, incubators, biolayer interferometry (BLI).
• Manage and maintain a comprehensive inventory of supplies and reagents needed for protein production and analyses.
• Ensure data integrity and provide detailed reports on core activities, research outcomes, and facility usage.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Foster strong relationships with internal and external academic researchers and industry partners.
• Communicate the core's services, capabilities, through presentations, publications, and outreach efforts.
• Develop pricing structures, service agreements, and cost recovery models in collaboration with the institution's financial team.

Grant Writing and Funding:

• Support researchers in the preparation of grant applications by providing technical expertise related to protein biochemistry and biochemical/biophysical techniques, and experimental design.
• Lead or contribute to the development of facility-based grants to enhance the protein core's capabilities and support infrastructure improvements.

Qualifications
Minimum degree and field of knowledge: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Biological Engineering, or related field, with a focus on protein biochemistry.

Years experience required: 7+ years of experience in protein expression, purification, and characterization.

Experience:

• Proven leadership and management experience, preferably in a core facility or collaborative research environment but not a requirement
• Proficiency in standard molecular biology techniques
• Expertise with a range of protein production systems (e.g., bacterial, insect, and mammalian).
• Proficiency in protein analysis, including chromatography, mass spectrometry
• Structural biology methods (x-ray crystallography, NMR, cryo-EM).
• Knowledge and implementation of directed-evolution platforms
• Knowledge of protein prediction and computational approaches for protein design
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a track record of successful collaborations.
• Strong problem-solving abilities and attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with high-throughput techniques and automation.
• Familiarity with budgeting, cost-recovery, and grant-writing in a core facility setting.

The above job description details the major duties and qualifications of the listed position. The individual hired to this position confirms that they are able to perform all duties outlined. Although the specific duties and responsibilities of this position may vary slightly, the supervisor of this position will ensure that the individual hired to this position is trained and qualified to complete each task assigned.

EEO Statement
Massachusetts General Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

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