Plasmid Maxiprep Associate Scientist, Molecular Biology Production

Job Overview

The Plasmid Maxiprep Associate Scientist is a key role within the Plasmid Production organization, responsible for supporting daily production operations, order management, team coordination, and continuous improvement activities. This position is designed for individuals with strong technical aptitude, leadership potential, and a desire to develop into future supervisory roles. Experienced production professional or high-potential candidate with strong learning agility and scientific background are encouraged to apply.

Working closely with Supervisors and Managers, the successful candidate will participate in plasmid Maxiprep production operations, production planning, cross-functional coordination, quality system execution, and team development, while supporting efficient, high-quality, and on-time delivery of customer orders.

The estimated salary range is $60,000 - $75,000, depending on experience. 

Key Responsibilities

Production Operations

• Support daily plasmid Maxiprep production activities, including transformation, clone selection, culture expansion, harvesting, plasmid extraction, purification, endotoxin reduction, and product delivery.
• Ensure all production activities comply with SOPs, quality standards, safety requirements, and company policies.
• Monitor production schedules and order progress to ensure timely delivery of customer orders.
• Assist in troubleshooting production issues and implementing effective corrective actions.
• Support equipment operation, maintenance coordination, and production readiness.
• Contribute to production efficiency, quality improvement, and turnaround time optimization.

Order Management & Cross-Functional Coordination

• Track order progress throughout the production process and identify potential risks to delivery timelines.
• Coordinate with QC, Logistics, Supply Chain, Customer Service, and other functions to ensure smooth order execution.
• Support production scheduling, prioritization, and resource allocation.
• Communicate production status updates and escalation items to management in a timely manner.
• Participate in cross-functional discussions to support operational decision-making.

Team Support & Leadership Development

• Support Supervisors in daily team coordination and workforce management.
• Assist with task assignment, workload balancing, and operational support.
• Provide technical guidance and on-the-job support to team members.
• Participate in onboarding and training of new employees.
• Support development of standardized work practices and training materials.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance team environment.
• Act as team support lead when required or during Supervisor absence.

Continuous Improvement & Quality

• Participate in Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, throughput, and operational performance.
• Support 5S implementation, visual management, and standard work practices.
• Assist in SOP updates, process optimization, and standardization activities.
• Utilize Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to investigate production issues.
• Support deviation investigations and CAPA implementation.

Qualifications

Education

• Master's Degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Genetics, or a related scientific discipline.
• Demonstrated interest in laboratory operations, production management, and leadership development.
• Advanced degrees are a plus.

Experience

• Experience in molecular biology, biotechnology manufacturing, biopharmaceutical production, or related laboratory operations is preferred.
• Experience with plasmid Maxiprep production, fermentation, purification, or related processes is preferred.
• Experience in employee training, project coordination, or team support is preferred.
• Supervisory or production management experience is a plus.
• Candidates with strong learning agility, leadership potential, and scientific background are encouraged to apply.

Skills

• Strong understanding of plasmid production processes and laboratory operations.
• Hands-on experience in plasmid extraction, purification, or related workflows is preferred.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and coordination skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced production environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and production documentation systems.
• Ability to analyze production data and support operational decision-making.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Mandarin Chinese (written and verbal). This role involves frequent communication with China-based teams regarding production planning, technical discussions, order coordination, issue resolution, and process optimization. Effective bilingual communication is essential to ensure accurate information flow and efficient cross-regional collaboration.

Competencies

• Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Results-driven mindset with strong execution ability.
• Leadership potential and team development mindset.
• Continuous improvement and operational excellence mindset.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Adaptability and ability to perform in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional and cross-regional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in plasmid Maxiprep production and manufacturing operations.
• Knowledge of fermentation, harvesting, plasmid purification, and endotoxin reduction processes.
• Experience in production planning, capacity management, and order scheduling.
• Experience working in global or cross-regional teams, particularly U.S.–China collaboration.
• Exposure to Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or Operational Excellence initiatives.
• Interest in developing into future supervisory or management roles.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese is preferred. 
• Fast learner with the ability to quickly adapt to new techniques and protocols.
• Must be able to work on-site in Piscataway, NJ.

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