Senior Research Entomologist TITLE: Senior Research Entomologist
TYPE: Full-time, Salaried Exempt
REPORTS TO: Director of Laboratory Operations
LOCATION: St. Louis, MO
TRAVEL: 10-15%
RELOCATION: Relocation package is available
We will offer an attractive compensation and benefits package commensurate with experience to the successful candidate. Important Note: Candidates for this position must be either a US citizen or have permanent resident status and a valid green card. We are unable to provide work visa sponsorship. To apply, please send cover letter, resume, and response to
questionnaire (please download the questionnaire
https://www.rnaissanceag.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/1_Questionnaire-for-Senior-Research-Entomologist.docx) to either the email address on the listing or via mail to:
TechAccel, LLC
6811 Shawnee Mission Parkway
Suite 215
Shawnee Mission, KS 66202
No walk-ins or recruiters.
RNAissance Ag LLC (a subsidiary of
TechAccel) is an early-stage startup company developing RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticides for control of important agricultural pests. We are seeking to expand our team by adding a RNAissance Senior Research Entomologist. The Senior Research Entomologist is a mid-level position and will be located in the Greater St. Louis, Missouri region.
The Senior Research Entomologist works in a laboratory environment, conducting research to evaluate the efficacy of pest-control interfering RNAs. This role will be integral to our biopesticide discovery and development pipeline by supporting functions from biopesticide discovery through product development. He or she will contribute to the development of exciting new products and to the expansion of the company intellectual property estate. The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge and experience in entomology especially as it pertains to crop protection and home and garden pest control. The candidate should have experience conducting laboratory bioassays and greenhouse studies and analyzing data to characterize the activity of insecticidal compounds. Experience with general molecular biology techniques applicable to the preparation, handling, and analysis of dsRNA is strongly preferred. The candidate should have an advanced degree in Entomology, Biology or a related field and 5+ years post-graduate experience. Ideally a portion of that experience will be in an industrial lab.
We are looking for an individual with strong, creative problem-solving skills to troubleshoot and innovate novel research methods to address project objectives and meet timelines. This person should have a passion for defining and meeting tangible research objectives in an efficient and rapid fashion. The candidate should be able to work independently, and as part of a team. The Senior Research Entomologist will help recruit additional team members and will train and supervise junior team members. This is an exciting opportunity for the right individual to leverage their knowledge and creativity to make a real and tangible impact on translating innovation to commercial reality and have a significant influence on the trajectory of the company.
Responsibilities:The Senior Research Entomologist shall:
• Provide scientific leadership for our growing research team. This is a hands-on position, and the successful candidate is expected to both perform research activities as well as help coach and develop junior personnel.
• Develop and execute biopesticide screening assays.
• Lead design, development, execution, and data analysis of experiments supporting RNAissance’s biopesticide product development pipeline.
• Manage resources, materials, and logistics required to design and execute bioassays and other complex biological experiments primarily in the area of entomology.
• Determine specific technical approaches to be implemented to successfully deliver project goals on a startup timeline and budget.
• Generate and present reports summarizing research results.
• Conduct research in accordance with or exceeding all relevant Health, Safety and Environmental guidelines.
• Stay up to date on developments within their field through methods such as reading academic journals, attending training programs and attending conferences within their field.
Minimum Requirements:• Ph.D. in Entomology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or related field and 3+ years post-graduate experience. A Master’s degree in entomology or a related field combined with 8+ years relevant experience will also be considered. Industrial experience is a plus, but not required.
• Strong knowledge of insect toxicology.
• Experience developing and using insect bioassays to evaluate lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides.
• Strong knowledge of experimental design and statistical analyses of bioassay and greenhouse data.
• Able to work in lab and greenhouse environments.
• Strong communication skills; ability to synthesize research results & report to technical & non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated strengths in organization, planning & project management; the ability to achieve R&D objectives through specific and measurable actions, and in a fast-paced, milestone-driven company.
• Results-oriented, flexible, able to follow-through, and can work under pressure with associated deadlines.
• Self-starter with high level of initiative; resourceful; strong work ethic; excellent attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills required to clearly explain complex issues to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated leadership competencies including but not limited to effective communication, developing people, and decision making.
The ideal candidate has at least some of these additional skills:
•• Previous experience with insect RNAi.
• Solid understanding of agriculture markets and trends.
About TechAccelTechAccel LLC (Technology Acceleration Partners) is a development company focused on advancing innovation in Agriculture and Animal Health. Our partner relationships with Global Industry Strategics leverage their strong technical expertise, regulatory infrastructure and the global distribution network. TechAccel co-funds the development, de-risking and advancement of technologies that fill partner portfolio gaps or addressing new adjacencies. Technologies typically are focused on the many technical paths address to the rapidly growing food and animal health demands. Partner companies utilize TechAccel to accelerate time to market. TechAccel also provides R&D services to meet partner surge needs as well as technology sourcing services.is a technology and venture development company focused in agriculture, animal health and food technology.
In addition to our strong technology advancement relationships with Global Industry Leaders, TechAccel partners with leading Agriculture and Animal Health Venture Capital firms in advancing emerging technologies found in aggressive and innovative industry start-ups. TechAccel brings a unique Science Advancement role to these relationships in addition to our invested commitments. This dual commitment adds to the enterprise value creation as well as the breadth of potential innovation derived from each integrated relationship.
TechAccel is based in Overland Park, Kansas, with offices in St. Louis, Missouri. Visit www.TechAccel.net for more information. Follow us on Twitter at @Tech_Accel and on Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/company/technology-acceleration-partners-llc/.
TechAccel is an equal opportunity employer. All employees are hired, compensated, promoted, disciplined and evaluated without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. TechAccel strictly prohibits any and all discrimination and harassment based upon an individual's race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, military status, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. Any incident of such harassment or discrimination must be immediately reported to the appropriate management level employee. 
