Scientist II

About the role

Primary Talent Partners has a contract opening for a Scientist II with a multinational science and technology company in Sunnyvale, CA. This is a 15‑month contract with potential for extension. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States and able to sit on Primary Talent Partners W2 without sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Execute and optimize automated nucleic acid extraction, amplification, and NGS library preparation workflows.
• Support the development of cartridge‑based sample‑to‑library preparation systems for sequencing applications.
• Design, perform, analyze, and document experiments evaluating workflow performance, robustness, and reproducibility.
• Troubleshoot molecular biology processes integrated into automated fluidic and consumable platforms.
• Perform DNA/RNA quantification, library QC, normalization, pooling, and sequencing preparation.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including assay development, automation engineering, bioinformatics, consumables development, and systems engineering.
• Generate detailed experimental reports, protocols, and technical documentation.
• Analyze experimental data and communicate findings to project teams and leadership.
• Support technology transfer, verification, and validation activities as development projects mature.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records and ensure compliance with established laboratory practices and safety procedures.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of automated workflows and laboratory processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in molecular biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or related scientific discipline.
• 3‑5 years of relevant laboratory experience in molecular biology or genomics.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience with NGS library preparation workflows.
• Experience operating and troubleshooting laboratory automation platforms.
• Experience integrating molecular biology processes into automated or semi‑automated workflows.
• Strong understanding of PCR, DNA extraction, nucleic acid quantification, and sequencing library QC techniques.
• Experience with common genomics instrumentation and analytical software tools.
• Excellent experimental design, data analysis, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to independently plan and execute laboratory experiments with minimal supervision.
• Preferred: Experience developing or optimizing workflows within cartridge‑based or consumable‑based automated systems.
• Preferred: Experience working with Oxford Nanopore, Illumina, or related sequencing technologies.
• Preferred: Familiarity with automated magnetic bead purification and nucleic acid cleanup workflows.
• Preferred: Experience supporting regulated product development, verification, or validation activities.
• Preferred: Knowledge of assay development principles and sequencing workflow optimization.
• Preferred: Experience working with biological samples.
• Preferred: Experience working in a cross‑functional product development environment.

Benefits

No PTO or standard benefits offered; however, an ACA‑compliant supplemental package is available for enrollment.

Pay

$36.00 – $41.00 per hour; W2 contract.