Director, Sample Preparation and Spatial Technologies Facility, Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC)

Position Description

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Director, Sample
Preparation and Spatial Technologies Facility, Biotechnology Resource Center
(BRC)

University Title:
Research Scientist

Application Deadline: November 2, 2026

The Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC) is seeking a Director for the
Sample Preparation and Spatial Technologies Facility. This new core facility
will provide a staffed, shared laboratory where Cornell researchers in
the life sciences can access specialized instrumentation, reagents, protocols,
and scientific expertise needed to prepare biological samples for advanced
analysis. A central goal is to enable researchers who may not have the necessary
expertise, infrastructure, or instrumentation within their own labs to adopt
new experimental approaches through hands-on access, consultation, and training
from BRC scientific staff.

The facility will serve as a “front door” to the BRC,
helping researchers design and implement sample preparation workflows that
connect seamlessly with downstream analytical capabilities across BRC core
facilities, including genomics and epigenomics, proteomics and metabolomics,
imaging, flow cytometry, and bioinformatics. Supported activities will
encompass a broad range of sample preparation workflows as well as emerging and
technically complex approaches that span multiple core facilities, including
single-cell and spatial omics technologies.

By bridging individual research laboratories with the BRC’s
analytical cores, the facility will lower barriers to adopting sophisticated
experimental methods, promote standardized and reproducible workflows, and
accelerate discovery across the life sciences.

The mission of the facility
is to

·
Share technical expertise and provide broad
access to specialized equipment, reagents, protocols, and other resources,
while promoting efficient use and maintenance of shared instrumentation.

·
Lower barriers to adoption of innovative
technologies by making sophisticated experimental workflows accessible to
investigators across agriculture, veterinary medicine, engineering, and the
biological and biomedical sciences.

·
Facilitate integrated experimental workflows
that connect sample preparation with analytical capabilities across multiple
BRC core facilities.

·
Create a vibrant, collaborative environment for
the development, optimization, evaluation, and adoption of innovative
technologies.

The Director will
provide leadership, management, and strategic vision for the facility. In
addition to overseeing wet laboratory spaces and facility operations,
the Director will actively support research through consultation, training,
technology development, and collaboration with faculty, staff, and trainees.
The Director may participate in collaborative research projects and extramural
proposals as PI, co-PI, or co-investigator, as appropriate.

The Director will
work closely with researchers and units across multiple colleges to understand
evolving community needs, develop new capabilities, and build a strong and
diverse user community. The Director will work closely with the BRC Director,
the facility advisory board, and directors of other BRC core facilities to
coordinate services, develop integrated workflows, and contribute to strategic
planning across the BRC.

Characteristic Duties
and Responsibilities:

• Provide scientific and operational leadership for the Sample Preparation

and Spatial Technologies Facility and supervise facility personnel.

• Oversee shared laboratory spaces and ensure safe, efficient, and

effective operation of facility instrumentation and resources.

-
Provide consultation to researchers on experimental design, sample
preparation strategies, selection of appropriate technologies, and integration
with downstream BRC analytical services.

-
Develop and provide introductory and advanced hands-on training for
users in sample preparation workflows, specialized instrumentation, and shared
laboratory practices.

-
Work collaboratively with other BRC core directors and staff to develop
workflows that span multiple technologies and core facilities, including
single-cell and spatial applications.

-
Manage cost recovery operations, including development of service and
access rates, oversight of facility budget, and forecasting of facility usage
and resource needs.

-
Assess emerging technologies and community needs and identify
opportunities for acquisition or development of new capabilities in
coordination with facility stakeholders.

-
Lead or collaborate on instrumentation and research proposals, including
NIH S10 and other shared instrumentation applications, as PI or co-PI where
appropriate.

-
Prepare and present operating, scientific, and strategic reports to
facility faculty advisory board and BRC leadership.

-
Promote facility capabilities and build the user community through
engagement with Cornell and external researchers and coordination with BRC
training, consultation, outreach, and communications activities.

-
Maintain and develop a portfolio of instrumentation, technologies, protocols, reagents, and associated software responsive to evolving research needs.

-
Promote rigorous, reproducible, and safe laboratory practices across
facility-supported workflows.

Required
Qualifications:

• PhD in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, molecular

biology, biomedical engineering, or related life sciences discipline and
recognized stature in their field.??

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• Knowledge of life sciences

laboratory operations, including laboratory organization, instrumentation,
safety, and best practices for shared research environments.

-

Significant experience with
molecular biology and genomics workflows, including DNA and RNA extraction,
PCR, sequencing library preparation, nucleotide sequencing, epigenomic and
chromatin profiling assays, or related areas.

-

Direct experience operating
next-generation sequencing platforms, including library pooling, sequencing
recipe design, and library quality control.

-

Experience with one or more
additional areas relevant to the facility, such as protein or proteomic sample
preparation, flow cytometry, imaging, single-cell methods, spatial biology,
cell and tissue processing, preparation of diverse sample types (e.g., frozen
mammalian tissues, cell lines, plants, yeast, and bacteria), or other advanced
biological technologies.

-

Demonstrated ability to learn,
evaluate, optimize, and implement new experimental technologies and workflows.

-

Demonstrated ability to collaborate
effectively with a broad range of researchers, including faculty, postdoctoral
researchers, graduate students, and others, to provide scientific consultation
and training.

-

Demonstrated understanding of
research core or shared resource facility operations.

-

Strong commitment to the mission
of shared research facilities and to enabling research across diverse
scientific disciplines.

-

Supervisory and operational
management experience, including training and mentoring technical staff,
students, and trainees.

Preferred
Qualifications:

• Experience establishing,

optimizing, and delivering full-service assays in a core facility setting,
including protocol optimization, quality control, and technical staff training.

-

Experience with multi-omic assays
and with custom library sequencing services.

-

Active engagement with the shared
resource facility community (e.g., Association of Biomolecular Resource
Facilities), including leading working groups or contributing to technical
guidelines and best practices.

-

Teaching and outreach experience
at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level, including laboratory
instruction, curriculum development, and mentoring of student researchers.

-

Experience preparing grant and
equipment proposals to support laboratory instrumentation and research
infrastructure.

-

Record of peer-reviewed
publications in molecular biology, genomics, or related fields, including
published methods or protocols.

-

Experience presenting technical
and scientific results at national and regional meetings.

The initial appointment is a 3-year term renewable contingent upon continued funding and successful performance.

Hiring Range for this Position:

$112,000 - $116,000

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline
• Unique applicable skills.

The Institute of Biotechnology is a dynamic hub for life sciences research at Cornell University. The Institute (https://www.biotech.cornell.edu) offers cutting edge biotechnologies, expertise in applications, technology testing and development and consultation for life sciences researchers at Cornell University and outside institutions. The Institute houses the Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC), which offers shared core facilities services to catalyze and promote life sciences research, and is involved with many intercampus initiatives and multi-institutional collaborations. In addition to Sample Preparation and Spatial Technologies, the BRC includes core facility operations in Genomics, Epigenomics, Proteomics and Metabolomics, Bioinformatics, Imaging, and Flow Cytometry. The Institute also administers the Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) in the Life Sciences to assist life science researchers in the development of biotechnologies with commercial potential in partnership with New York State industries, and the Center for Life Science Ventures, a state-of- the-art business incubator for emerging biotechnology companies. With its extensive network of academic, federal, not‐for‐profit enterprises and commercial partners, the BRC serves as a vital partner in life sciences research and innovation.

Institute of Biotechnology staff enjoy working in a collaborative and innovative organization within Cornell University, an award-winning employer recognized for supporting employee health, workplace diversity, work-life fit, and environmental sustainability. Cornell University offers competitive compensation and benefits. The Institute is located on the main Ithaca campus, in the heart of the Finger Lakes of central New York State. Ithaca and the surrounding area is noted for high quality of living surrounded by natural beauty and a vibrant community.

Why Cornell?

Benefits and rewards include:

• Comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, employee discounts with local and national retail brands, and more.
• Our leave provisions include three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• Impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Part-Time Study and Employee Degree Program, heavily discounted eCornell courses and certificate programs, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

Employment Assistance:

For specific questions about the position or application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or for general questions email mycareer@cornell.edu.

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at accommodations@cornell.edu.

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EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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Pay Ranges:

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary unless otherwise noted)
• Unique applicable skills.