Research Associate - Dr. Kim's Lab

Bachelor's degree in a related field of science

• Ability to work independently using effective time management and organizational skills
• Experience with scientific writing and publication
• Experience working in a lab or with experimental design

• Standing
• Sitting
• Working in a lab
• Driving as needed to perform job duties

• Participate in and help oversee on-going research conducted by P.I. and collaborators
• Develop study timelines, assign responsibilities, coordinate personnel and facility schedules, and ensure experimental activities align with project objectives, milestones, budgets, and sponsor requirements
• Coordinate animal, carcass, meat-processing, sensory microbiological, and analytical studies; confirm that protocols are followed consistently and troubleshoot operational issues that could affect study quality or completion
• Maintain required approvals and documentation, including Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee or Institutional Review Board protocols when applicable; ensure compliance with laboratory safety, biosafety, food-handling, sanitation, and quality-assurance procedures
• Establish systems for sample identification, chain of custody, data collection, storage, and verification; review records for completeness and accuracy and ensure that research data are organized, secure, traceable, and ready for analysis or sponsor review
• Train and supervise students and laboratory personnel; monitor purchasing, inventory, and project expenditures; coordinate with collaborators, industry partners and sponsors; prepare progress reports, presentations, manuscripts, and other project deliverables

• Conduct comprehensive literature searches, evaluate peer-reviewed research, and synthesize findings to establish the scientific rationale, significance, and novelty of the study
• Collaborate with investigators and statisticians to verify analyses, interpret results, identify meaningful trends, and ensure that conclusions are scientifically sound and supported by the data
• Prepare and integrate manuscript sections, including the abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions, and references, in accordance with the target journal's requirements
• Develop accurate, publication-quality tables and figures; verify units, statistical notation, and terminology; prepare supplementary materials, data availability statements, acknowledgements, and required disclosures
• Manage co-author review and approval, format and submit manuscripts, maintain version control, address editorial and peer-review comments, prepare response-to-reviewer documents, and coordinate revisions through final publication

• Identify emerging challenges and knowledge gaps in meat science through literature reviews, industry engagement, and stakeholder input. Translate these needs into relevant, innovative, and achievable research concepts.
• Develop clear hypotheses, objectives, and expected outcomes; identify appropriate animal, carcass, processing, sensory, microbiological, chemical, and instrumental methods; establish statistically sound experimental designs
• Identify and engage faculty, laboratory personnel, statisticians, industry partners, and other collaborators with the expertise and resources needed to complete the project; define team roles, responsibilities, communication procedures, and anticipated contributions

• Identify relevant federal, state, commodity, foundation, and industry funding opportunities. Evaluate sponsor priorities and eligibility requirements to ensure that proposed meat science research aligns with the program's objectives.
• Develop a clear and compelling proposal that defines the research need, hypotheses, objectives, experimental approach, expected outcomes, and significance to meat science, animal agriculture, and industry stakeholders
• Prepare detailed budgets and budget justifications covering personnel, animals or meat products, laboratory analyses, processing expenses, equipment, travel, publication costs, and other project needs. Confirm that expenses are reasonable, allowable, and consistent with sponsor and institutional requirements.
• Coordinate contributions from collaborators, administrators, industry partners, and subcontracting institutions. Establish internal deadlines and assemble required documents, including biosketches, facilities descriptions, current and pending support, data-management plans, and letters of support
• Ensure that the proposal is accurate, persuasive, responsive to review criteria, and compliant with formatting and submission requirements. Coordinate institutional review and submission, interpret reviewer feedback, and prepare revisions or resubmissions that directly address identified concerns