Baltimore jobs : Innovation + Job News

Zyngenia, a privately held biotherapeutics company headquartered in Montgomery County, was spurred by significant venture capital investments, led by a $10 million Series A investment from NEA in November 2009. The company has a current staff of 14 employees and plans to grow to at least 20 by the end of the year.

The strategic public/private partnership is a component of the County's recently unveiled Bioscience Strategy, which aims to enhance the environment for entrepreneurship and creation of new life science companies in the County by merging increased local venture capital funding with proven biotech entrepreneurs and seasoned industry executives.

Zyngenia uses proprietary technology to enable the development of singular molecular entities that address two or more targets, by combining the activity of two or more biologic therapies into one protein (known as a Zybody™). In addition, the technology will also be applied to drug targets that previously have not been reachable through the use of traditional, single specificity, monoclonal antibodies. The company is focusing its early research and development in creating therapies for patients who have unmet medical needs in cancer and autoimmune diseases.

"Maryland's knowledge economy � one based on science, security, technology and healing � is fueled by innovative companies like Zyngenia," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. "By locating and expanding in Maryland, Zyngenia will have access to our vast community of biopharmaceutical companies, the nation's largest number of federal facilities and increased opportunities to attract venture capital funding."

Zyngenia's expansion and build-out is the latest in a series of other progressive, proactive initiatives by Montgomery County to grow the life sciences industry and bolster the local economy, including

• The new bioscience strategy recommendation of a first-of-its-kind local biotech tax credit to spur investments in biotech companies;

• Leggett's Smart Growth Initiative to create quality, high-paying jobs, and provide sufficient and affordable housing near mass transit by relocating certain County facilities, currently located on prime real estate near mass transit and within the Shady Grove Life Sciences Center, to make way for strategic commercial development; and,

• The forthcoming strategies from the County's Green Economy Task Force to further support and grow this evolving business sector.

Source: Montgomery County
Writer: Walaika Haskins

As the nation slowly emerges from its economic doldrums Baltimore continues to be one of the cities leading the way to discovery. According to data from the WorldatWork human resources professional association, 2010 will see employers still giving their workers raises. 

In the survey of roughly 2,600 human resource professionals at companies employing some 16 million people ranked the 25 largest metro areas based on planned salary increases for employees with average performance ratings. 

At least 75 percent of companies in those cities, according to WorldatWork, planned to give their employees raises ranging from 2.1 percent to 2.3 percent this year, ranked from highest to lowest:

• Washington, DC
• Tampa
• Boston
• Philadelphia
• Denver
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Dallas
• New York
• Baltimore

Source: WorldatWork
Writer: Walaika Haskins

With some $60 million in federal grant money a year, the Institute for Genome Sciences (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, a new international research center in Baltimore's BioPark, has multiple positions available for qualified personnel.

IGS scientists research the genomics of infectious diseases, human microbial metagenomics, and human genomics. Because of expanding research and the growth of genomics, IGS has multiple open positions, particularly in the bioinformatics group, the application of information technology to biological data, using computational and statistic techniques. This enables IGS to sequence samples from which people in the bioinformatics department annotate and analyze the complex genomic data.

The company is looking for motivated and talented individuals to join its informatics and scientific tream. IGS' expanding growth has led to multiple openings for software engineers, analysts, postdoc fellows and researchers.

Successful candidates will benefit from a community of interactive research labs, bioinformatics programmers and analysts along with a variety of sequencing, and computational resources available at this world-class institute.

Love it or hate it, but Walmart is very likely coming to Charles Village. The big box discount chain announced last week that with the approval from the city it will join the commercial complex currently planned for the former Anderson Automotive site at 115 W. 25^th Street near the intersection of Howard Street.

According to the company,  the store will bring approximately 200 new jobs to the area including positions in store management, pharmacy, human resources, customer service, cashiers and sales associates. Construction will begin this fall with a grand opening tentatively scheduled for the fall 2011.

"This store will deliver outstanding value to customers and create quality job opportunities for local residents," says Walmart Regional Senior Manager Rhoda Washington. "We look forward to building on the partnerships we have established in neighborhoods throughout Greater Baltimore and continuing our support of charitable services that are important to the city."

The 93,000-square-foot store will be located above the previously announced Lowe's Home Center and co-anchor the $65 million, mixed-use "25^th Street Station" development project. The developer, WV Urban Developments LLC, expects to sign additional specialty retailers to the 11-acre project, which also will include residential units along Maryland Avenue. In total, this project is expected to create 400 construction jobs and up to 750 permanent jobs.

The new store also will include energy-efficient technology and environmentally friendly features to reduce energy and water consumption and minimize waste with a vegetated green roof, high-efficiency lighting, low-flow toilets and faucets as well as recycled and sustainable building materials.

In recent months, Walmart has taken major steps to refresh its stores, merchandising and customer experience. The improvements have all come together in the company's newest locations with faster service, a friendlier shopping experience and cleaner stores.

"This store will features wide aisles, enhanced service and a layout designed to make the shopping experience more convenient for customers," adds Washington. "The layout will be easy to navigate, which will save our customers time as they shop for everyday necessities."

"We are extremely excited to have added Walmart to 25th Street Station," says Jon Laria, a  attorney for the project with  Ballard Spahr. "We were originally looking for a good grocery store and that was our plan when we held our first community meetings in December. We soon began to realize that we were not going to find an acceptable grocery store in the current market, and fortunately Walmart approached us after seeing early news coverage of the project."

With few, if any, other retailers out there that could provide both fresh, healthy, local produce and other foods, as well as the general merchandise shopping that many community members told Ballard Spahr they need and which barely exists in the city, Walmart was an excellent solution, says Laria. 

"Its flexibility to build a smaller store, combined with its extraordinary commitment to sustainability at the store and throughout the company, made it even better. We're also happy that Walmart will bring 200+ jobs at all skill levels, helping us meet our expected goal of over 700 jobs for the entire project," he adds.

The combination of Walmart and Lowe's will help ensure that the site is redeveloped and doesn't become a vacant parcel in the midst of several important City neighborhoods, according to Laria. "We also think the added activity and vitality will help existing businesses in the neighborhood and attract new ones. Business activity will attract more business activity."

Thus far, Laria says, they've been "really pleased" with the feedback from the community and the city that has included constructive suggestions about how to make the project better. "We're going to continue working on it with our community partners through the City's design review process, and know we'll have a project that works both for the retailers we expect to attract as well as our community neighbors."


Tell us what you think.



Sources: Rhoda Washington, Walmart; Jon Laria, Ballard Spahr.
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) has been awarded a $4.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) to train workers for jobs in allied health and nursing fields currently experiencing workforce shortages.

CCBC will use the funds to train almost 2,000 students for employment in allied health and nursing fields with persistent workforce shortages. The funds will make it possible for the community college to train an additional 1,012 students for health care degrees or certificates and another 855 students for employment in the health care. Maryland currently needs an additional 2,300 registered nurses to address health care needs in the state.

"This is about jobs, jobs, jobs. It's about giving people the tools they need to keep the jobs they have and it's about preparing people who need jobs for jobs that are available in Maryland today," says Sen. Barbara Mikulski. "With these funds CCBC will train a new pipeline of workers to fill jobs in health care fields that are needed now and will be needed even more in the future. This is a win-win opportunity to help save lives, transform lives and transform communities."

CCBC will partner with Baltimore County hospitals, like St. Agnes and Kernan, Baltimore County Public Schools and the county's Office of Workforce Development to recruit students and administer training. The focus will be on training those who are looking for a job, individuals with low incomes, and employed workers seeking better pay and careers.

"This grant is a significant investment in future jobs in the health industry, an industry in which Maryland is already a national leader," says Sen. Ben Cardin. "While we are in the midst of an economic downturn, we have a labor shortage in many parts of the health industry. This Recovery Act grant is targeted to eliminate that shortage by ensuring that the Community College of Baltimore County provides the training and skills that are needed so that more Marylanders can find jobs in the growing health industry."

The grant is 1 of 55 grant awards worth more than $225 million by the DoL that will be used to train 15,000 people in job skills needed to access careers in health care, IT and other high growth fields across the country. Through existing partnerships with local employers, the recipients of the grants have already identified roughly 10,000 job openings for skilled workers that likely will become available in the next two years in areas like nursing, pharmacy technology and information technology. The grants range in value from $2 million to $5 million.

CCBC is the only grant recipient in Maryland.

"This grant comes at a time in our nation when jobs are at a premium, but when healthcare providers are badly needed," Rep. Elijah Cummings says. "As the Recovery Act nears its one year anniversary, this is another example of the Act creating opportunities for high-paying jobs here in Baltimore County. These are jobs that will stay here in America and which will help put Marylanders back to work."

The DoL grant program, known as the Health Care Growth and Emerging Industries Grants program, addresses current and forecasted workforce shortages, and provides workers with training to enter a career in a high growth or emerging industries.

The Health Care and High Growth and Emerging Industries Grants program will:

• Develop a pipeline of credentialed healthcare workers;

• Support local partnerships in executing integrated job placement and training strategies and,

• Support training with accredited institutions that lead to industry-recognized, portable credentials.

Source: Department of Labor
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Following the opening of a new branch in Harford County and the expected move to a larger location for its Howard County branch, the State Employees Credit Union of Maryland (SECU) is doing something that has become a rarity over the past year for most businesses -- the bank is hiring. SECU, the largest state-chartered credit union in Maryland, is looking to add 40 new employees to its roster.

The move to take on new employees is not unusual, however. According to SECU statistics, the local bank hired 127 new employees in 2009, including 21 in the fourth quarter.

"Approximately 75 percent of our openings are 'retail' positions in our branches and call center," says SECU President and CEO Rod Staatz.

Staatz notes that SECU's continued growth and subsequent hiring has kept its Human Resources Department busy. To keep pace with its high level of hiring activity, the bank has been holding monthly orientation classes for new employees. These three-day classes introduce new SECU employees to corporate culture, key leaders, department functions, products and services, and other critical areas.

For 2010, Staatz says SECU will focus on retention, engagement, and development. "In the near term, SECU plans to concentrate on managing our potential and existing employee pool to attract and retain top talent,"

"Our approach to working with new employees is to engage them through career pathing and development initiatives, as well as by offering a rich and comprehensive benefits package," Staatz explains.

Source: Rod Staatz, SECU
Writer: Walaika Haskins

The start of the U.S. census is a little more than four weeks away. Households will receive their 2010 questionnaire in the mail between March 15 and 17 and will have to return them by April 1. Although the 2010 questionnaire has 10 questions and will take about 10 minutes to fill out, the U.S. Census Bureau will rely on thousands of temporary workers to help it complete the largest domestic undertaking as it prepares to count every person that resides in the country.

Hundreds of positions are available in the Greater Baltimore area where starting pay for the part-time gig for Enumerators and Crew Leader Assistants is $17.50 an hour. Crew leaders earn $19.00 an hour. Applicants are encouraged to call 1-866-861-2010 to apply. All applicants are required to take a basic skills test and there are testing sites in various convenient locations including the Lexington Market at 400 West Lexington Street in Baltimore 21201.

On the remaining Saturdays in February starting February 13 applicants can walk in with 2 forms of identification (one current picture i.d.) and test that day. Currently test times are scheduled at the Lexington Market on these dates at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Scheduling can be done between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Other markets where you can schedule a test these same Saturdays in February 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. include:

· Cross Street Market in Federal Hill 21230

· Broadway Market in Fells Point 21231

· Northeast Market near Johns Hopkins Hospital 21205

· Hollins Street Market in Southwest Baltimore 21223

· Avenue Market in Druid Heights 21217

For a practice test go to www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Bmore Media is looking for an intern with an interest in social media/marketing and journalism. The unpaid position will require between 4 and 6 hours a week.

The candidate should have writing and editing experience -- familiarity with AP Style and Strunk and White preferred -- as well as a strong interest in social media integration of news media along with hands-on experience with programs like Twitter, Facebook and related management tools (ie: tweetdeck, hootsuite etc...).

The intern will also have the opportunity to write content for the site for pay.

Interested applicants should send their resume here.

Bmore Media is looking for an intern with an interest in social media/marketing and journalism. The unpaid position will require between 4 and 6 hours a week.

The candidate should have writing and editing experience -- familiarity with AP Style and Strunk and White preferred -- as well as a strong interest in social media integration of news media along with hands-on experience with programs like Twitter, Facebook and related management tools (ie: tweetdeck, hootsuite etc...).

The intern will also have the opportunity to write content for the site for pay.

Interested applicants should send their resume here.

Maryland beat the odds when it came to technology-related jobs in 2009. The state saw growth in the computer systems design and related services adding 5,3000 jobs in 2009 as well as the management, scientific and technical consulting, where 4,500 jobs were added, subsectors and in fact, led the nation in both. 

The 8.7 percent growth in computer systems design and related services and a 13.8% increase in management, scientific and technical consulting meant Maryland accounted for almost half of the jobs added nationally in those areas.

Overall, while 2009 saw every state lose jobs, Maryland retained jobs at a rate better than all but five states. The state lost 41,000 nonfarm payroll jobs at a 1.7 percent rate during the year, compared to the national rate which saw nationwide jobs lost at a 3.0% rate, almost twice as fast.

Industrial sectors leading the state's job creation included health care, federal government and educational services. The health care and social assistance industry added 5,800 jobs for 1.8 percent growth. The fed added 4,100 jobs for 3.2 percent growth and private educational services added 3,600 jobs for 4.9 percent growth.

Without 31,500 job losses in construction and 10,800 jobs losses in financial activities, Maryland would have gained jobs. Construction lost jobs at an 18.5 percent rate and financial activities lost jobs at a 7.3 percent rate.

Source: Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins

General Motors execs have pegged the GM Baltimore Transmission plant to produce its next generation electric drive motors for plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles. The automaker will add a high-volume electric drive manufacturing facility to the Baltimore County plant in White Marsh, bringing more than 200 new jobs to the area. The company will also retrain hundreds of workers already employed at the plant.

Over nine years, the $244 million project will generate approximately $90 million in direct wages and salaries and $2.5 million in Baltimore County taxes, according to the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.

"This plant expansion shows the economic power of bringing a world-class workforce together with corporate, federal, state and local government resources," says Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith.

The GM Baltimore Transmission plant will be the first electric motor manufacturing facility in the U.S. operated by a major automaker. Regular production is scheduled to begin in 2013 for next generation two-mode rear wheel electric drive motors.

Total project investment at the White Marsh plant is $244 million. GM is investing $129 million. The federal government is supporting electric drive systems manufacturing with a previously announced $105 million U.S. Department of Energy grant through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. As investment and job milestones are met, Baltimore County will provide up to $6 million in grants from the Baltimore County Business Growth Fund and a $150,000 Baltimore County Economic Development Training grant. The State of Maryland is providing a $3 million conditional grant through the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Fund (MEDAF) and a $1.5 million grant from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing & Regulation Workforce Training Fund.

Opened in December 2000, the GM Baltimore Transmission plant was selected in 2006 to manufacture the first hybrid transmission designed and built in the United States. GM currently employs 224 salaried and hourly workers in the eco-friendly White Marsh facility.

GM made the initial decision in 1999 to locate the plant in White Marsh in part because there has been a major GM van assembly plant in the Baltimore area for generations, meaning there was a large supply of skilled workers in the area, says David Iannucci, director, Baltimore County Department of Economic Development.

"They had an outstanding experience at that time by any measure of which we are aware. It is in General Motors corporate history, the fastest a plant went from a shovel in the ground to a sellable product out the door -- in 17 months. So they had an outstanding experience there. They also had an outstanding experience working with the Community College of Baltimore County to retrain the van assembly workers to make automatic transmissions, a completely different set of manufacturing technologies and techniques," Iannucci explains.


Source: David Iannucci, Baltimore County Department of Economic Development
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Job seekers looking for work in the city don't be discouraged! Baltimore is the third least difficult metro area in which to find a job with just 2.93 unemployed persons for each job listing. That's according to the lates Job Search Difficulty Index from job search engine Juju.com. The index measures the difficulty of finding employment in major cities around the country.

The Index was calculated by dividing the number of unemployed workers in each metro area, as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), by the number of jobs in Juju's comprehensive index of millions of online jobs in the U.S., which is compiled and updated continuously from thousands of employer career portals, recruiter websites, and job boards all over the Internet.

Washington, D.C. with 1.93 individuals for each job and San Jose, Ca. with 2.5 were the easiest places to find work, while Salt Lake City, UT and New York City came in fourth and fifth.

In terms of states offering the best job search opportunites, D.C. -- despite its lack of statehood -- was No. 1, followed by Virginia, North Dakota, Nebraska and Maryland.

Source: Juju.com
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Maryland Energy Sector Partnership, led by the Governor's Workforce Investment Board (GWIB), has been awarded a $5.8 million grant by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to implement programs that will prepare more than 1,500 Marylanders for green jobs in manufacturing, construction, environmental technology and solar energy.

"In Maryland we have set a goal of creating at least 100,000 green jobs by 2015, and we are working across our State government - along with partners in organized labor, and in the private, academic, and non-profit sectors - to implement specific action items that are designed to create new jobs, advance eco-friendly technologies, and provide more Marylanders with the skills they need to participate and maximize the benefits of a green economy for their own families," says Gov. Martin O'Malley.

"This federal funding not only represents an important step forward towards this goal for Maryland's families, but it also demonstrates the progressive strategy the Obama Administration is taking towards creating jobs for the next generation economy."

The project will involve partnerships among businesses, community colleges, labor apprenticeship programs and the One-Stop Workforce System. It will implement training for both new and incumbent workers to ensure there is a pipeline of skilled workers for jobs in the emerging green economy. Emphasis will be placed on providing opportunities for veterans and reservists, low wage workers and ex-offenders to meet the demands of Maryland employers.

"This grant provides us with a tremendous opportunity to help reach our goal of increasing skills of Maryland workers 20 percent by 2012," Sec. Alexander M. Sanchez says. "It is a much deserved recognition of the O'Malley-Brown Administration's commitment to strengthening and growing the middle class, and shows that "Smart, Green and Growing" will offer real opportunities for Marylanders in the 21st century economy."

The funding will be divided into four consortium efforts:

• Baltimore Regional Green Tech Workers Program. This effort will improve manufacturing sustainability practices, waste stream management and "lean to green" practices in the manufacturing sector. This project will train 705 incumbent and new workers in two tracks - the Green Worker Training Program for new, entry-level manufacturing positions, and Purdue University's Green Workforce Training Certificate program for incumbent workers with intermediate skills. The program will offer three levels of certification provide through the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and M-Tech programs at the University of Maryland, working with local community colleges.
• Green Training for Energy Efficient Advancement. This partnership of workforce boards, community colleges, building and trades organization and labor unions will train 850 workers to retrofit residential, commercial and industrial buildings. This project will meet the need for skilled green construction and trades workers expected to be needed in the Baltimore-Washington region to meet demands for work resulting from investments funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), building related to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) program, and increased energy initiatives of major utilities to comply with the Empower Maryland legislation.
• Chesapeake Area Consortium for Higher Education (CACHE): Institute for Environmental Careers. This partnership of workforce investment boards, four community colleges and leaders from the private sector and governments in counties surrounding the Chesapeake Bay will train 210 students with community college credit courses leading to certificates in environmental technology. It is designed to help workers take advantage of the environmental technology careers that are projected to grow around the Bay.
• Go Solar! Regional Partnership. This business-driven consortium will utilize existing renewable energy curriculum, mostly from the Institute for Environmental Careers' existing courses. IBEW Local 26 and IEC-Chesapeake will act as entry-level service providers. They will collaborate with Goodwill Industries, Job Corps, correctional facilities and existing businesses to train 480 new and incumbent workers.

"We are projecting that at least 70 percent of the Marylanders trained through these programs will be placed into a related job within the three-year grant period," says Eric M. Seleznow, GWIB Executive Director. "These programs also address an immediate need to help dislocated workers, particularly those in jobs that will never come back, to obtain the new skills they need to re-enter the workforce and participate in the new green economy."

This latest grant follows a $4 million grant awarded by USDOL in November to the MidAtlantic Regional Collaboration (MARC) Green Consortium, headed by DLLR's Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, to define the regional green economy and develop a workforce investment plan to support it. That consortium includes the Virginia Employment Commission, the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services, the District of Columbia's Workforce Investment Council, the Maryland Governor's Workforce Investment Board and the Virginia Workforce Council.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Writer: Walaika Haskins

Chicago-based TravelClick, a digital marketing and consulting firm for hotels, has opened a new Digital Agency in South Baltimore. The move, the compay explains, comes during a time when despite the downturn in the tourism industry, hoteliers continue to see marketing directly to consumers through the web as a critical part of their business strategy. More than 55 percent of hotel reservations are booked directly through hotel and corporate websites now. The new location will help TravelClick accommodate this demand and better serve its growing number of hospitality clients.

The new facility, located at 1410 Key Highway, is the homebase for a talented group of designers, marketing experts, and Internet gurus who blend the art of design with the science of marketing hotels directly to online consumers. They are dedicated to serving the digital marketing needs of the hospitality industry, including improving website performance, expanding online visibility, enhancing guest engagement, and ultimately, increasing online bookings and profitability.
 
A 50-person staff has reportedly been hired to fill a variety of positions at the new office with more positions expected to become available as the company expands its operations. The company will be recruiting world-class designers, Flash developers, media specialists, and programmers. The expanded team will support TravelClick's growing roster of global clients, including the industry's best-known chains, iconic properties, and independent hotels.

"Our new location is a positive indication of TravelClick's financial strength and the growing importance of Internet marketing in the hospitality industry," says Robert Post, TravelClick's President and CEO. "Not only does this new presence help us support our customer-centric culture, it brings more jobs to the Baltimore area."

Follow TravelClick or friend the company on Facebook.

Ports America Chesapeake (PAC), a subsidiary of Ports America has successfully closed on a 50-year lease and concession agreement to operate the Seagirt Marine Terminal (Seagirt) in the Port of Baltimore. The concession was approved by the Maryland Board of Public Works on December 16, 2009.

The agreement provides more than $1.3 billion in value to the state, will create 5,700 jobs, and deliver more than $15 million annually in new tax revenues. Perhaps as important, as part of the deal PAC will provide 100 percent of the funding to implement the Maryland Port Administration's (MPA) long-standing vision and commitment to make Baltimore one of only two eastern ports capable of handling the large "Super Post Panamax" container ships that will begin calling the East Coast upon the completion of the Panama Canal widening project in 2014.

"I share Gov. Martin O'Malley's passion for the Port of Baltimore, and creating high quality jobs so critical to the Port's future and Maryland's competitiveness on the Atlantic seaboard," says Christopher Lee, founder and managing partner of Highstar Capital.

"Baltimore is one of the best, most efficient ports in the country," he continues. "I'm very proud to be a partner with the State of Maryland and look forward to our long association in making sure Baltimore maintains its great maritime heritage."

"We're proud and excited to work with the Maryland Port Administration, the International Longshoremen's Association, and all our ocean carrier customers, including Mediterranean Shipping Company and Evergreen, to help make this historic American port the most competitive facility on the East Coast," adds Ports America Chesapeake CEO Mark Montgomery.

Ports America is the largest independent American terminal operator and stevedore, with operations in 44 ports and 84 terminals. Ports America and its predecessor companies have served in the Port of Baltimore for over 88 years and have operated Seagirt since it was opened in 1990. Ports America Chesapeake is the newly formed affiliate of Ports America that will be the day-to-day operator of Seagirt.

Source: Ports America Chesapeake
Writer: Walaika Haskins