Profile Details

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Hire Dr. Kierstyn S.

United States

USD 70 /hr

Microbiologist & R&D program manager | Infectious disease, epidemiological modeling, data analysis & grants | PMP

Profile Summary

I am a microbiologist and program manager with 15+ years of experience in life sciences and biotech, specializing in infectious disease, epidemiological modeling, and government-funded R&D. I hold a PhD in Microbiology from the University of Chicago and have worked across industry, government contracting, and startups, leading complex portfolios that span wet-lab science, computational modeling, and software-enabled healthtech.  My work has included developing and deploying infectious disease and operational models for federal clients (including COVID-19, Ebola, and cholera), building and validating data pipelines, and creating visual analytics to support high-stakes decision-making. I am fluent in R, Python, SQL, STATA, Tableau, and Power BI, and have used these tools to automate analysis, accelerate reporting, and translate complex modeling outputs into clear, actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders. On the biotech and process side, I have designed and executed lab-scale experiments to support scale-up, managed fermentation projects (including at Pfizer), and served as a subject-matter expert in microbiology and infectious disease. In parallel, I have deep experience in project and grants management. I’ve managed 25M+ multi-project portfolios as a senior program manager and group lead, developed KPIs and financial models, and led cross-functional teams across research, software, and operations. I have written and edited successful US and EU grant applications, built Asana/JIRA-based tracking systems, and implemented AI-assisted workflows to streamline proposal and reporting processes. As a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), I can support clients with: grant writing and review, scientific and technical writing, data analysis and visualization, epidemiological and operational modeling, and strategic planning for R&D and funding portfolios.

Subject Matter Expertise

• ★ Bacteriology
• ★ Data Analysis
• ★ Grant Writing
• ☆ Microbiology
• ☆ Industrial Microbiology
• ☆ Microbiological Assays
• ☆ Gram-Negative Bacteria
• ☆ Gram-Positive Bacteria
• ☆ Biotechnology & Bioengineering
• ☆ Microbial Biotechnology
• ☆ Microscopy
• ☆ Light Microscopy
• ☆ Fluorescence Microscopy
• ☆ Computer Simulation/Computational Modeling
• ☆ Predictive Modeling & Analytics
• ☆ Data Processing
• ☆ Data Exploration
• ☆ Data Visualization
• ☆ Data Collection
• ☆ Data Management
• ☆ Data Cleaning
• ☆ Pathogenesis
• ☆ Knowledge Management
• ☆ Microbial Fermentation
• ☆ Information & Knowledge Management
• ☆ SQL
• ☆ R
• ☆ Microbiology Testing
• ☆ Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• ☆ Bioprocess Development
• ☆ Infectious Disease
• ☆ Viral Diseases
• ☆ Ebola
• ☆ Public Health
• ☆ Global Health
• ☆ Peer Review
• ☆ Literature Search
• ☆ Gap Analysis
• ☆ Technical & Scientific Writing
• ☆ Manuscript & Journal Article Writing
• ☆ Instructional Materials
• ☆ Experimental Protocols
• ☆ SOP & Protocol Writing
• ☆ White Papers
• ☆ Textbook Content Writing
• ☆ Science Communication
• ☆ Scientific Proofreading & Editing
• ☆ Proofreading & Editing
• ☆ Innovation Management
• ☆ Crisis Management & Emergency Preparedness
• ☆ Project Management
• ☆ Risk Management

Services

• Writing

Writing Medical Writing, Technical Writing, Newswriting, Audio Transcription, General Proofreading & Editing

Work Experience

Government Funding Grants Manager

LanzaTech Inc

February 2025 - July 2025

Group lead

Applied Research Associates, Inc

March 2024 - February 2025

Senior Program Manager

Applied Research Associates, Inc

June 2021 - February 2025

Biomedical Team Lead

Applied Research Associates, Inc

March 2019 - June 2021

Senior Microbiologist

Applied Research Associates, Inc

July 2016 - June 2021

Senior Microbiologist

Working Bugs LLC

August 2014 - July 2016

Graduate Research Assistant

The University of Chicago

January 2009 - June 2014

Fermentation Science Research Technician

Pfizer

June 2007 - August 2008

Education

Ph.D in Microbiology

The University of Chicago

September 2008 - June 2014

BS Microbiology & Molecular Genetics | Biochemistry & Biotechnology

Michigan State University

August 2003 - May 2007

Certifications

• Project Management Professional

  Project Management Institute

  https://www.pmi.org

  November 2023 - November 2025

Publications

OTHER

Aiguo Wu, Zygmunt F Dembek, Steven J Hadeed, Bersabeh Tigabu, Kierstyn T Scwartz-Watjen, Michael J Glass, Michelle A Dressner, Dianne N Frankel, David D Blaney, Thomas G Eccles III, et al. (2024). Ebola Virus Disease Outbreaks: Lessons Learned from Past and Facing Future Challenges .

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Katherine M. Broadway, Kierstyn T. Schwartz-Watjen, Anna L. Swiatecka, Steven J. Hadeed, Akeisha N. Owens, Sweta R. Batni, Aiguo Wu (2021). Operational Considerations in Global Health Modeling . Pathogens.

Zygmunt F. Dembek, Kierstyn T. Schwartz-Watjen, Anna L. Swiatecka, Katherine M. Broadway, Steven J. Hadeed, Jerry L. Mothershead, Tesema Chekol, Akeisha N. Owens, Aiguo Wu(2021). Coronavirus Disease 2019 on the Heels of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa . Pathogens. 10. (10). p. 1266. {MDPI} {AG}

Katherine M. Broadway, Kierstyn T. Schwartz-Watjen, Anna L. Swiatecka, Steven J. Hadeed, Akeisha N. Owens, Sweta R. Batni, Aiguo Wu (2021). Operational Considerations in Global Health Modeling . Pathogens.

Zygmunt F. Dembek, Kierstyn T. Schwartz-Watjen, Anna L. Swiatecka, Katherine M. Broadway, Steven J. Hadeed, Jerry L. Mothershead, Tesema Chekol, Akeisha N. Owens, Aiguo Wu (2021). Coronavirus Disease 2019 on the Heels of Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa . Pathogens.