Research Scientist 3 - Sr Research Scientist 1

JOB OBJECTIVE: This is a two-phase scientific career opportunity designed to develop a broadly capable, organizationally fluent researcher while delivering immediate, high-impact contributions to one of Promega's most important active product initiatives.

In Phase 1, you will be embedded as a full scientific contributor on a high-priority product launch project, doing applied research that directly supports Promega's product pipeline. Phase 1 is milestone-driven rather than time-bound: you will remain on this project through its successful launch, which is expected to take approximately one year.

Upon launch, you will transition into the R&D Flex Group as a full-time Flex Scientist. The Flex Group is a uniquely agile team of scientists deployed across R&D based on organizational need and scientific fit. The context, relationships, and scientific range you build during Phase 1 are built to set you up for long-term success in the Flex Group.

We are looking for someone who is energized by meaningful work, motivated by variety, and who brings the learning agility, work ethic, and interpersonal range to thrive across both phases of this role. If you want to build the kind of scientific breadth and organizational fluency that will make you effective and impactful well into the future of research, this role was designed with that in mind.

PHASE 1: PRODUCT LAUNCH PROJECT DEPLOYMENT (THROUGH LAUNCH, APPROX. 1 YEAR)

In Phase 1, you will join an active, cross-functional team working to bring a high-priority Promega product to launch. This is applied research with a clear, meaningful endpoint: getting a product ready for the world. Your responsibilities will include:

1. Contribute hands-on bench science to applied research and development activities in direct support of the product launch timeline, including experimental design, execution, troubleshooting, and data analysis.

2. Work closely with a dedicated project team, building deep familiarity with the scientific questions, methods, and workflows at the heart of this initiative.

3. Maintain rigorous scientific documentation and communicate results clearly to project leads and cross-functional collaborators.

4. Learn and apply relevant technologies, techniques, and regulatory or quality considerations specific to the product development context.

5. Contribute to a collaborative, high-accountability team environment where your work has direct bearing on launch readiness and timeline.

6. Begin building the cross-functional relationships across R&D that will support your effectiveness as a Flex Scientist in Phase 2.

Phase 1 concludes at product launch. The transition to Phase 2 is milestone-dependent, not calendar-dependent, and is expected to occur within approximately one year. This structure is intentional: the project has a defined and meaningful finish line and seeing it through is part of what makes this role valuable for both you and the organization.

PHASE 2: R&D FLEX GROUP (POST-LAUNCH)

Following the product launch, you will transition into the R&D Flex Group. The Flex Group is a small, carefully selected team of scientists who bring curiosity, adaptability, and scientific rigor to a wide range of Promega's highest priority R&D initiatives. As a Flex Scientist, you will:

1. Be deployed to high-priority projects across Promega R&D based on scientific fit, organizational need, and your growing breadth of skills and experience.

2. Contribute hands-on experimental support across a wide variety of project types, disciplines, and teams, regularly working in new scientific contexts that require rapid knowledge acquisition.

3. Continue developing your scientific range through self-directed learning, mentorship, and structured cross-training across R&D disciplines and methods.

4. Collaborate with a broad network of scientific colleagues across the organization, contributing to both short- and long-term research goals.

5. Meet regularly with your Flex Group manager to set individual growth goals and identify development opportunities aligned with both your interests and organizational priorities.

6. Contribute to the culture and identity of the Flex Group itself, modeling the curiosity, adaptability, and collaborative spirit that define the team.

CORE DUTIES (BOTH PHASES):

Across both phases of this role, you will be expected to:

1. Engage regularly in hands-on laboratory work, applying scientific rigor to experimental design, execution, troubleshooting, and data interpretation.

2. Learn new technologies and methods across diverse scientific disciplines through immersion in projects, self-driven study, mentorship, and structured cross-training within R&D.

3. Explore and incorporate emerging tools, including AI, to enhance experimental workflows, improve data interpretation, and increase research depth and efficiency.

4. Communicate clearly and respectfully with collaborators across teams, adjusting style and approach based on audience and context.

5. Prepare well-organized, accurate technical reports, presentations, and data summaries suitable for a range of audiences.

6. Foster strong, trust-based relationships across R&D and with other departments by approaching collaborations with curiosity, humility, and a service-oriented mindset.

7. Contribute to a psychologically safe and inclusive work environment by modeling empathy, accountability, and openness to feedback.

8. Embrace and incorporate Promega's 6 Emotional and Social Intelligence (ESI) core principles in daily work.

9. Understand and comply with ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements applicable to our business.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS:

1. B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in a life sciences or related scientific discipline; relevant industry or academic research experience is valued at all degree levels.

2. Demonstrated learning agility: the initiative to independently seek out information, acquire new skills, and rapidly understand diverse scientific concepts, laboratory techniques, and technologies.

3. Genuine enthusiasm for hands-on bench science and the intellectual rigor of experimental work; this role requires active, sustained wet lab engagement across both phases.

4. Comfort working within a defined project structure with clear milestones and deliverables, including the ability to maintain focus and rigor in a deadline-driven environment.

5. Proven collaborative mindset with a desire to work in diverse, cross-functional teams and contribute to shared goals.

6. Strong interpersonal skills: the ability to build trust, communicate openly, and work effectively across a range of personalities, backgrounds, and working styles.

7. Comfort with ambiguity and enthusiasm for supporting a wide variety of scientific projects following the initial deployment.

8. Demonstrated interest in leveraging digital tools and AI technologies to augment scientific work, with the ability to critically assess their utility and apply them thoughtfully.

9. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to tailor messaging for different audiences.

We are not primarily hiring for a specific technical background. The qualities that will define success in this role are enthusiasm, work ethic, learning agility, and the interpersonal skills to be a genuine colleague across multiple teams and contexts. We welcome candidates from a wide range of scientific disciplines and career paths.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Prior experience in applied research or product development contexts, particularly work with defined milestones, launch timelines, or regulatory considerations.

2. Prior experience working across multiple scientific disciplines, functional groups, or project teams, especially in fast-paced or milestone-driven environments.

3. Experience in a matrixed or cross-functional team environment where collaboration across reporting lines and shifting priorities is the norm.

4. A track record of scientific excellence and rigor, with recognized proficiency in multiple techniques or technologies

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1 Ability to work at lab bench or fume hood for extended periods of time.

2. Ability to wear protection gear (gloves, lab coat, safety glasses, etc.).

3. Ability to operate a computer.

At Promega, we value diversity and strive to create an inclusive workplace. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, making employment decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.