Research Associate Jobs in Massachusetts

INTRODUCTION

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

Job Summary

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), within the Lemieux Laboratory in the Division of Infectious Diseases, is seeking a Research Associate I to support respiratory pathogen surveillance and biorepository operations across several federally funded programs. The position will focus on specimen intake, accessioning, processing, microbiological testing, and the long-term organization and tracking of a clinical research biorepository of approximately 100,000 samples. The Research Associate I will coordinate closely with the MGH clinical laboratories, the MGH Division of Infectious Diseases, and external collaborators including the Broad Institute, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Core activities include specimen receipt and QC, aliquoting and storage, nucleic acid extraction, routine molecular testing, laboratory information management system (LIMS) data entry and reconciliation, chain of custody documentation, and the day-to-day inventory management of a high-volume biorepository. The position requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain accurate records over time while performing repetitive and meticulous tasks. The Research Associate I will work under the supervision of Dr. Jacob Lemieux and in collaboration with investigators in the Division of Infectious Diseases and MGH Clinical Microbiology. All testing performed in this role is for research and/or surveillance purposes (non-clinical reporting); clinical technician certification is not required.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

• Receive, accession, and process clinical research specimens (nasopharyngeal swabs, anterior nasal swabs, bronchial lavage, and related respiratory specimens, as well as blood and blood component specimens) for research and biorepository activities. Perform initial QC, aliquoting, labeling, and placement into long-term storage.
• Manage and inventory a biorepository of approximately 100,000 clinical research specimens, including freezer organization, box and position level tracking, pull lists for downstream testing, and periodic reconciliation of physical inventory against digital records. Includes both prospective collections and retrospective organization.
• Enter, track, and reconcile specimen and test data in laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and study databases (e.g. REDCap); identify and resolve discrepancies between clinical source data and research records.
• Perform routine microbiological and molecular testing techniques including nucleic acid extraction (manual and automated), RT-qPCR, and supporting QC workflows on respiratory specimens.
• Support sample handoff to downstream next generation sequencing and molecular characterization workflows, including sample selection, retrieval, QC, and transfer to sequencing teams at MGH and the Broad Institute.
• Maintain accurate documentation (lab notebook, SOPs, batch records, QC logs, incident reporting, and sample chain of custody) and follow institutional biosafety and data security requirements, including HIPAA and Limited Dataset handling.
• Coordinate sample transfers within the Mass General Brigham (MGB) network and to external partners (Broad Institute, MDPH, CDC, and academic collaborators including Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health), including preparation of shipping manifests, temperature controlled packaging, and tracking documentation.
• Support audit readiness and compliance activities for federally funded projects and IRB approved protocols, including periodic specimen inventory reconciliation, documentation review, and preparation of reporting materials.
• Communicate effectively with supervisors, clinical laboratory partners, and external collaborators regarding specimen status, backlogs, and testing timelines; contribute to SOPs, method write ups, protocols, and internal training as needed.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following skills and competencies:

• Demonstrated organizational skills and strong attention to detail, including the ability to execute repetitive, meticulous tasks over extended periods without loss of accuracy or consistency.
• Ability to maintain accurate and auditable records for large numbers of clinical specimens, including storage locations, aliquot counts, sample status, and chain of custody across a biorepository of tens of thousands of samples.
• Experience with, or demonstrated ability to rapidly learn, laboratory information management systems (LIMS); prior experience with a clinical LIMS is strongly preferred.
• Familiarity with biorepository or biobank operations, freezer inventory systems, and sample tracking best practices is preferred.
• Comfort with basic molecular laboratory techniques (e.g., pipetting, nucleic acid extraction, RT-qPCR) and contamination prevention practices; ability to follow SOPs and biosafety requirements in a clinical and research laboratory setting.
• Strong time management skills and the ability to work independently across multiple concurrent projects while meeting deadlines; strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document workflows clearly and coordinate with clinical, academic, and public health partners; comfort with data entry and basic data review tools (e.g., Excel) and familiarity with electronic documentation practices.

Education

A bachelor’s degree in a biological, biomedical, biotechnology, or other relevant scientific field is required.

Experience

A minimum of 0 to 2 years of relevant laboratory experience is required. Prior experience in one or more of the following is preferred:

• Specimen processing and accessioning in a clinical, research, or biorepository laboratory setting.
• Use of a laboratory information management system (LIMS), particularly a clinical LIMS such as EPIC (Beaker).
• Biorepository or biobank operations, including freezer inventory management and sample tracking at scale.
• Nucleic acid extraction and/or RT-qPCR or qPCR workflows.
• Working in or adjacent to a clinical microbiology, molecular diagnostics, or similarly regulated laboratory environment with strong documentation expectations.
• Basic data entry, reconciliation, and documentation work using Microsoft Office applications, or similar tools.

Physical Requirements

• Standing Occasionally (3-33%)
• Walking Occasionally (3-33%)
• Sitting Constantly (67-100%)
• Lifting Occasionally (3-33%) 20lbs - 35lbs
• Carrying Occasionally (3-33%) 20lbs - 35lbs
• Pushing Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Pulling Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Climbing Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Balancing Occasionally (3-33%)
• Stooping Occasionally (3-33%)
• Kneeling Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Crouching Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Crawling Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Reaching Occasionally (3-33%)
• Gross Manipulation (Handling) Constantly (67-100%)
• Fine Manipulation (Fingering) Frequently (34-66%)
• Feeling Constantly (67-100%)
• Foot Use Rarely (Less than 2%)
• Vision - Far Constantly (67-100%)
• Vision - Near Constantly (67-100%)
• Talking Constantly (67-100%)
• Hearing Constantly (67-100%)

REMOTE TYPE

Onsite

Work Location

399 Revolution Drive

Scheduled Weekly Hours

0

Employee Type

Temporary

Work Shift

Day (United States of America)

Pay Range

$17.50 - $21.80/Hourly

Grade

2

At Mass General Brigham, we believe in recognizing and rewarding the unique value each team member brings to our organization. Our approach to determining base pay is comprehensive, and any offer extended will take into account your skills, relevant experience if applicable, education, certifications and other essential factors. The base pay information provided offers an estimate based on the minimum job qualifications; however, it does not encompass all elements contributing to your total compensation package. In addition to competitive base pay, we offer comprehensive benefits, career advancement opportunities, differentials, premiums and bonuses as applicable and recognition programs designed to celebrate your contributions and support your professional growth. We invite you to apply, and our Talent Acquisition team will provide an overview of your potential compensation and benefits package.

EEO Statement:

1200 The General Hospital Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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. To ensure reasonable accommodation for individuals protected by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Veteran’s Readjustment Act of 1974, and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicants who require accommodation in the job application process may contact Human Resources at (857)-282-7642.

Mass General Brigham Competency Framework

At Mass General Brigham, our competency framework defines what effective leadership “looks like” by specifying which behaviors are most critical for successful performance at each job level. The framework is comprised of ten competencies (half People-Focused, half Performance-Focused) and are defined by observable and measurable skills and behaviors that contribute to workplace effectiveness and career success. These competencies are used to evaluate performance, make hiring decisions, identify development needs, mobilize employees across our system, and establish a strong talent pipeline.