Senior Research Associate, Assay Operations, Screening Platform Technology

Duties and Responsibilities

• Partner with Screening Platform Technology scientists to transfer, optimize, productionalize, validate, and execute cellular and biochemical screening assays for hit identification, mechanism-of-action studies, lead optimization, and compound profiling.
• Execute medium- and high-throughput screening campaigns using automated liquid handling systems and integrated instrumentation platforms.
• Support implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of laboratory automation workflows and integrated robotic systems.
• Affiliate in assay transfer and scale-up activities, including protocol development, reagent qualification, documentation, and workflow standardization.
• Troubleshoot assay, instrumentation, and workflow issues in partnership with scientists, automation engineers, and vendors.
• Maintain detailed electronic laboratory notebooks, assay documentation, SOPs, and screening records.
• Generate, organize, and communicate experimental results to project teams in a timely manner.
• Contribute to the evaluation and implementation of new screening and automation capabilities and operational best practices.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or related discipline with 4+ years of experience or Master's degree with 2+ years of experience in cellular biology.
• Hands-on experience executing both cellular and biochemical assays in high-throughput screening environments.
• Experience operating automated liquid handling platforms and screening instrumentation.
• Experience supporting automated workflows, including plate handling, liquid handling, scheduling software, and integrated screening systems.
• Strong laboratory troubleshooting skills with the ability to identify and resolve assay, instrumentation, and workflow issues.
• Familiarity with assay quality metrics, including Z', signal-to-background, signal-to-noise, coefficient of variation (CV), and normalization strategies.
• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple screening activities simultaneously.
• Strong documentation practices, attention to detail, and commitment to generating high-quality experimental data.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills in a multidisciplinary team environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with integrated automation platforms and laboratory robotics (HighRes, Hamilton, Tecan, Agilent Bravo, Dragonfly, Mosquito, Echo, or similar systems).
• Experience supporting high-throughput screening (HTS) or high-content screening (HCS) campaigns.
• Proficiency in execution of in vitro biochemical and/or biophysical assays suitable for the discovery, validation, or mechanistic characterization of target molecules (SPR/BLI, TR-FRET, fluorescence polarization, etc.).
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, including routine maintenance, expansion, passaging, and aseptic technique.
• Experience executing LC-MS workflows, including sample preparation, instrument operation, and data acquisition in support of analytical studies.
• Rigorous, quantitative, detail-oriented experimentalist with a strong understanding of assay statistics and screening quality metrics.

Desired Skills and Experience

• Cellular Assays, Biochemical Assays, High-Throughput Screening, Medium-Throughput Screening, High-Content Screening, Assay Development, Assay Optimization, Assay Validation, Assay Transfer, Assay Scale-Up, Compound Screening, Hit Identification, Mechanism-of-Action Studies, Lead Optimization, Compound Profiling, Laboratory Automation, Automated Liquid Handling, Integrated Robotics, Plate Handling, Screening Instrumentation, Scheduling Software, Workflow Standardization, Protocol Development, Reagent Qualification, Assay Troubleshooting, Instrument Troubleshooting, Mammalian Cell Culture, Aseptic Technique, Biophysical Assays, SPR, BLI, TR-FRET, Fluorescence Polarization, LC-MS, Sample Preparation, Data Acquisition, Assay Statistics, Z-Prime Factor, Signal-to-Background, Signal-to-Noise, Coefficient of Variation, Data Normalization, Electronic Laboratory Notebooks, SOP Documentation, Experimental Data Analysis, HighRes, Hamilton, Tecan, Agilent Bravo, Dragonfly, Mosquito, Echo, Oncology Drug Discovery, Cross-Functional Collaboration