Senior Associate Scientist, Molecular Analytics BioEngineering

Position Summary

The Bioengineering and Technology Innovation team seeks a highly motivated, self-driven Senior Associate Scientist dedicated to discovering and developing novel engineered CAR T-cell therapies for cancer. The successful candidate will have hands-on experience extracting and analyzing nucleic acids from primary cells and cell lines, with essential expertise in quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR); cell culture experience is preferred. The primary focus is developing and running custom ddPCR assays to assess gene-editing outcomes in Cell Therapy products and support preclinical CAR T asset development.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and run custom ddPCR assays—including primer and probe design—to measure gene-editing outcomes in Cell Therapy products
• Perform qPCR and ddPCR workflows on gene-edited samples and refine analytical approaches for lentiviral vector characterization
• Extract, clean up, and assess the quality of nucleic acids from primary cells and cell lines
• Optimize PCR parameters for targeted analyses
• Design and execute experiments, independently analyze and interpret results—including large, complex datasets—and communicate findings that inform team decisions
• Troubleshoot technical issues, select practical solutions, and contribute ideas for new methods and continuous improvement
• Maintain detailed, timely electronic laboratory notebook documentation and proactively update the team on progress
• Coordinate and collaborate with cross-functional colleagues to deliver results and implement molecular analytical methods for cell therapy
• Represent the department or team on broader program or project teams as needed
• Work predominantly in the laboratory and on-site full-time, independently performing most day-to-day experimental work

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with 4+ years of academic and/or industry experience
• Or Master’s Degree with 2+ years of academic and/or industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience developing and running ddPCR assays, including primer/probe design and optimization, ideally for measuring gene-editing outcomes
• Experience with nucleic acid extraction and characterization
• Understanding of gene-editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR/Cas and base editing) and resulting genetic outcomes (e.g., indels and base conversions)
• Development experience of analytical assays to characterize lentiviral vectors, especially using the Leprechaun or other imaging-based platforms
• Experience transducing cell lines or primary cells with lentiviral vectors
• Cell-line and/or primary-cell culture experience; cell sorting is a plus
• Experience running or optimizing immunofluorescence or fluorescence in situ hybridization assays
• Experience optimizing and/or running Western blots or automated Western blots (Wes, Jess)
• Experience with ddPCR/qPCR platforms and analysis software (e.g., QX200, QXOne, and CFX Maestro), RNA extraction, and RT-qPCR
• Experience with column- and bead-based nucleic acid extraction, liquid handlers, and quality-control instruments (e.g., KingFisher Apex, Hamilton, Stunner, TapeStation, and Qubit)
• Ability to manage and interpret complex data from large sample sets, such as multiple 96- or 384-well plates
• Familiarity with molecular biology and genetics, software such as SnapGene or Geneious, and electronic laboratory notebooks
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and documentation, with the ability to prioritize and meet commitments
• Excellent written and verbal communication and effective collaboration in large, cross-functional teams
• Experience with data-analysis tools such as JMP is a plus
• Experience performing data analysis in excel and using intermediate skills in Excel (lookup functions) is a plus
• Creative, flexible thinking and adaptability in a fast-paced, changing environment