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Bacteriology Research Scientist I
\*\*\*This position requires an active Secret clearance or the ability to obtain a Secret clearance to be considered. \*\*\*
As required by our governmental client, this position requires being a US Citizen.
Cherokee Nation Integrated Health (CNIH) is seeking a Research Scientist, Bacteriology to support basic and applied research focused on bacterial threats and the development of medical countermeasures at Fort Detrick, Maryland. The successful candidate will support the planning, execution, and analysis of complex in vitro and in vivo studies, including research involving bacterial pathogenesis, small\-molecule and antibiotic discovery, animal models, and advanced biological systems such as organoids and microphysiological systems.
This position requires a strong background in bacteriology, infectious disease research, animal physiology, or a related scientific discipline, with demonstrated experience designing, executing, and analyzing complex research studies. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary scientific teams and will be expected to conduct research in high\-containment laboratory environments, maintain laboratory operations and documentation, and communicate scientific findings through technical reports, protocols, manuscripts, and presentations.
Compensation \& Benefits:
Estimated Starting Salary Range for Bacteriology Research Scientist I : $85,000 \- 90,000
Pay commensurate with experience.
Full time benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K and other possible benefits as provided. Benefits are subject to change with or without notice.
Bacteriology Research Scientist I Responsibilities Include:
- Plan, manage, execute, and analyze basic and applied research studies supporting bacterial threat characterization, pathogenesis, and development of medical countermeasures.
- Design and conduct complex in vitro studies using tissue culture, organoids, organ\-on\-a\-chip systems, microphysiological systems, and other relevant models to investigate infectious disease and therapeutic responses.
- Support the planning and execution of in vivo studies using appropriate laboratory animal models and assist with development and implementation of study procedures and animal care and use protocols.
- Conduct and support laboratory assays and research activities under applicable BSL\-2 and BSL\-3 conditions, consistent with approved protocols, laboratory requirements, and applicable regulations.
- Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret experimental data and contribute to the preparation of scientific results, contributing scientist reports, technical reports, and research summaries.
- Support research focused on bacterial threats and medical countermeasures, including studies involving bacterial pathogenesis, antimicrobial activity, small\-molecule discovery, and therapeutic development.
- Prepare and contribute to animal protocols, study protocols, technical reports, manuscripts, and other scientific documentation; support the development of at least one peer\-reviewed manuscript annually.
- Review, organize, and analyze study documentation and data generated from research activities and maintain accurate and timely scientific records.
- Support laboratory maintenance and sustainment activities, including appropriate accountability and documentation of biological select agents and toxins (BSAT) and other regulated materials, in accordance with applicable requirements.
- Present research findings at laboratory meetings and scientific discussions and provide a Bacteriology Research Scientist Monthly Report to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) by the last working day of each month.
Bacteriology Research Scientist I Experience, Education, Skills, Abilities requested:
- Ph.D. or D.V.M. with at least two years of relevant research experience, or a Master’s degree with at least seven years of relevant research experience, in bacteriology, microbiology, infectious disease, small\-molecule or antibiotic discovery, animal physiology, organoids/microphysiological systems, or a related scientific discipline.
- Demonstrated experience designing, executing, and analyzing complex scientific studies, including in vitro and/or in vivo research.
- Experience with bacterial pathogenesis, infectious disease research, antimicrobial research, drug discovery, or development of medical countermeasures.
- Experience working with biological models such as tissue culture, organoids, organ\-on\-a\-chip systems, microphysiological systems, or laboratory animal models preferred.
- Experience analyzing experimental data and communicating scientific findings through technical reports, manuscripts, presentations, and other scientific documentation.
- Strong analytical, problem\-solving, organizational, scientific writing, and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with multidisciplinary laboratory and research teams.
- Exceptional attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate records and documentation in a highly regulated research environment.
- Experience working in high\-containment laboratory environments, including BSL\-3 and/or ABSL\-3, preferred.
- Must be able to obtain and maintain BPRP and CS\-PRP enrollment in accordance with contract requirements and applicable regulations.
- Must pass pre\-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience conducting research involving bacterial infectious disease models and medical countermeasure development.
- Experience with small\-molecule or antibiotic discovery and evaluation.
- Experience with animal studies and development or implementation of animal care and use protocols.
- Experience working with organoids, organ\-on\-a\-chip systems, or other microphysiological systems.
- Experience working in BSL\-3 and/or ABSL\-3 environments.
- Experience preparing peer\-reviewed manuscripts, scientific presentations, study protocols, and technical reports
Company Information:
Cherokee Nation Integrated Health (CNIH) is a part of Cherokee Federal – the division of tribally owned federal contracting companies owned by Cherokee Nation Businesses. As a trusted partner for more than 60 federal clients, Cherokee Federal LLCs are focused on building a brighter future, solving complex challenges, and serving the government’s mission with compassion and heart. To learn more about CNIH , visit cherokee\-federal.com.
\#CherokeeFederal \#LI \#LI\-ONSITE
Cherokee Federal is a military friendly employer. Veterans and active military transitioning to civilian status are encouraged to apply.
Similar Searchable Job Titles
- Research Scientist – Bacteriology
- Bacteriology Research Scientist
- Microbiology Research Scientist
- Infectious Disease Research Scientist
- Research Scientist – Infectious Disease
Keywords
- Bacteriology \& Microbiology
- Infectious Disease Research
- Bacterial Pathogenesis
- Medical Countermeasures
- Small\-Molecule \& Antibiotic Discovery
- In Vitro \& In Vivo Research
- Animal Models
- Organoids \& Microphysiological Systems
- BSL\-3 / ABSL\-3
- Scientific Data Analysis \& Research Reporting
Legal Disclaimer: Cherokee Federal is an equal opportunity employer. Please visit cherokee\-federal.com/careers for information regarding our Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer Statement, and Accommodation request.
Many of our job openings require access to government buildings or military installations. Candidates must pass pre\-employment qualifications of Cherokee Federal.
Salary Context
This $85K-$90K range is in the lower quartile for Research Scientist roles in our dataset (median: $195K across 149 roles with salary data).
Role Details
About This Role
Research Scientists push the boundaries of what AI can do. They design experiments, develop novel architectures, publish papers, and translate research breakthroughs into production capabilities. This is where the fundamental advances happen, from attention mechanisms to diffusion models to reasoning chains.
The work is intellectually demanding and often ambiguous. You might spend months on an approach that doesn't pan out. The best research scientists combine deep mathematical intuition with engineering pragmatism. They know when to go deep on theory and when to run experiments. They read papers voraciously and can spot incremental contributions from genuine breakthroughs.
Across the 4,317 AI roles we're tracking, Research Scientist positions make up 4% of the market. At Cherokee Federal, this role fits into their broader AI and engineering organization.
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
What the Work Looks Like
A typical week includes: reading and discussing recent papers with your team, designing and running experiments on multi-GPU clusters, analyzing results and iterating on hypotheses, writing up findings for internal review or publication, and collaborating with engineering teams to productionize promising results. The ratio of thinking to coding is higher than in engineering roles.
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
Skills in Demand for This Role
PhD strongly preferred for most roles. Deep expertise in a specific area (NLP, computer vision, reinforcement learning, multimodal) is expected. PyTorch is the standard. Publication track record matters. Strong mathematical foundations in linear algebra, probability, optimization, and information theory are assumed.
Beyond the fundamentals, companies value experience with large-scale distributed training, novel architecture design, and the ability to bridge theory and practice. Understanding of current frontier topics (reasoning, multimodal, long-context, alignment) is essential. Code quality matters more than many researchers expect. Labs want researchers who can implement their ideas cleanly.
Strong research postings specify the research area, mention the team you'd join, and describe the problems they're working on. They often list recent publications from the team. Vague 'AI research' postings without specifics usually mean the company wants to sound impressive but doesn't have a real research agenda.
Compensation Benchmarks
Research Scientist roles pay a median of $222,200 based on 378 positions with disclosed compensation. Mid-level AI roles across all categories have a median of $194,400. This role's midpoint ($87K) sits 61% below the category median. Disclosed range: $85K to $90K.
Across all AI roles, the market median is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. For comparison, the highest-paying categories include AI Safety ($287,500) and Research Engineer ($272,100). By seniority level: Entry: $110,000; Mid: $194,400; Senior: $227,400; Director: $274,554; VP: $241,000.
Cherokee Federal AI Hiring
Cherokee Federal has 1 open AI role right now. They're hiring across Research Scientist. Based in Frederick, MD, US. Compensation range: $90K - $90K.
Location Context
Across all AI roles, 15% (635 positions) offer remote work, while 3,657 require on-site attendance. Top AI hiring metros: New York (1,650 roles, $220,000 median); San Francisco (1,335 roles, $265,000 median); Los Angeles (708 roles, $214,112 median).
Career Path
Common paths into Research Scientist roles include PhD Student, Research Engineer, Postdoc.
From here, career progression typically leads toward Research Lead, Distinguished Scientist, VP of Research.
The PhD is the entry point for most paths. Choose your advisor and research area carefully since they'll define your first industry position. Publish consistently, contribute to open-source projects in your area, and build relationships at conferences. Industry research offers better compensation and compute resources than academia, but the pressure to show product impact is real.
What to Expect in Interviews
Research interviews are multi-stage: a research talk (present your best paper), technical deep-dives on your methodology, and often a 'research proposal' exercise where you design an experiment to test a hypothesis. Coding rounds test implementation ability alongside theoretical knowledge. Be prepared to implement a paper from scratch and discuss the design choices the authors made. Strong candidates can critique papers constructively and identify gaps in experimental methodology.
When evaluating opportunities: Strong research postings specify the research area, mention the team you'd join, and describe the problems they're working on. They often list recent publications from the team. Vague 'AI research' postings without specifics usually mean the company wants to sound impressive but doesn't have a real research agenda.
AI Hiring Overview
The AI job market has 4,317 open positions tracked in our dataset. By seniority: 138 entry-level, 2,071 mid-level, 1,655 senior, and 453 leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level). Remote roles make up 15% of the market (635 positions). The remaining 3,657 roles require on-site or hybrid attendance.
The market median for AI roles is $215,000. Top-quartile compensation starts at $266,300. The 90th percentile reaches $320,790. Highest-paying categories: AI Safety ($287,500 median, 34 roles); Research Engineer ($272,100 median, 227 roles); AI Engineering Manager ($244,000 median, 23 roles).
Research Scientist roles are concentrated at major AI labs (OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, Meta FAIR) and well-funded AI startups. The competition is intense. PhD is effectively required for most positions, and publication track record matters. Compensation is among the highest in AI, reflecting both the scarcity of talent and the strategic importance of research breakthroughs.
The AI Job Market Today
The AI job market spans 4,317 open positions across 15 role categories. The largest categories by volume: AI/ML Engineer (3,004), Data Scientist (345), AI Software Engineer (309). These three account for the majority of open positions, though smaller categories often have higher per-role compensation because of specialized skill requirements.
The seniority mix tells a story about where AI teams are in their maturity. Entry-level roles (138) are outnumbered by mid-level (2,071) and senior (1,655) positions, reflecting that most companies are past the 'build a team from scratch' phase and need experienced engineers who can ship production systems. Leadership roles (Director, VP, C-Level) total 453 positions, representing the bottleneck between technical execution and organizational strategy.
Remote work availability sits at 15% of all AI roles (635 positions), with 3,657 requiring on-site or hybrid attendance. The remote share has stabilized after the post-pandemic correction. Senior and specialized roles (Research Scientist, ML Architect) are more likely to be remote-eligible than entry-level positions, partly because experienced hires have more negotiating power and partly because these roles require less hands-on mentorship.
AI compensation is structured in clear tiers. The market median sits at $215,000. Top-quartile roles start at $266,300, and the 90th percentile reaches $320,790. These figures include base salary with disclosed compensation. Total compensation (including equity, bonuses, and sign-on) runs 20-40% higher at companies that offer those components.
Category matters for compensation. AI Safety roles lead at $287,500 median, while Prompt Engineer roles sit at $145,000. The spread between highest and lowest-paying categories reflects the premium on specialized technical skills versus broader analytical roles.
The most in-demand skills across all AI postings: Python (2,249 postings), Aws (1,224 postings), Azure (938 postings), Rag (915 postings), Gcp (660 postings), Pytorch (640 postings), Prompt Engineering (624 postings), Kubernetes (559 postings). Python dominates, appearing in the vast majority of role descriptions regardless of category. Cloud platform experience (AWS, GCP, Azure) is the second most common requirement. The newer entrants to the top skills list (RAG, vector databases, LLM APIs) reflect the shift from traditional ML toward generative AI applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
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