DNA lab capacity expansion to bring 70 more jobs to Fairfax

Lorton-based forensic DNA testing company Bode Technology will invest $2 million to expand its DNA testing lab capacity in Fairfax County, a project expected to create more than 70 jobs, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday.

The company will reconfigure about 5,000 square feet of its lab and add laboratory benches and robotics to support increased demand. Bode Technology plans to hire more senior and entry-level lab technicians, DNA analysts and DNA lab assistants, adding to its current 250 employees.

“We are proud to have this innovative, Virginia-founded business and congratulate Bode Technology on its continued growth in Fairfax County,” Youngkin said in a statement. “Biotechnology is evolving rapidly in the 21st century, and leading firms like Bode help drive the commonwealth’s position as a leader in this vital sector.”

Bode operates a private forensic DNA lab and provides DNA collection products, DNA analysis and research services to law enforcement and government agencies. Bode Technology’s work has assisted law enforcement in identifying suspects in every state and has helped identify victims of 9/11 and the conflicts in Cyprus, as well as the remains of U.S. soldiers dating back to World War II. The company also helped Virginia eliminate a backlog of 2,665 untested sexual assault kits and assisted Fairfax County police in identifying two victims of a suspected serial killer, according to the governor’s announcement.

“For more than 25 years, Bode Technology has called Virginia our home, and today’s announcement is a testament to that bond,” Bode Technology CEO Mike Cariola said in a statement. “To help fight crime, we need to hire the most talented scientists in the world, and the universities in Virginia and surrounding areas have been essential to our success. Demand for our services has increased, and today we are recruiting talented scientists from across the country to join us here in Fairfax County so that we can continue our mission.”

The VEDP worked with the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority to secure the project for Virginia, and the VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program will provide funding to support employee recruitment and training activities.