Senior Research Associate – Scientist II, Molecular Biology & Viral Vector Platforms
Why This Matters
This role accelerates cell and genome therapy research by enabling reliable generation, characterization, and improvement of lentiviral vectors used in discovery and preclinical studies.
Key Responsibilities
Design, build, and QC DNA constructs and variant libraries for screening (e.g., mammalian/phage display), including cloning strategy and library design influenced by structure-function analysis.
Produce, titer, and QC lentivirus from HEK293T or derivatives; optimize transfection and harvest conditions to improve yield/quality.
Maintain rigorous ELN documentation and follow EHS/BSL-2 practices for viral vectors and human-derived materials.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications: B.S. + 4 years, M.S. + 2 years, or Ph.D. + 1–2 years (or equivalent) in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, or related field.
Strong molecular cloning and nucleic-acid workflows (vector design, Gibson/In-Fusion, plasmid prep, PCR/qPCR).
Library design/build for screening or display (mammalian/phage or related) and support of selection/screen workflows.
Lentivirus production in HEK293T/293T (transfection, harvest) plus titering/QC (qPCR/ddPCR, p24, and/or functional assays).
Strong mammalian tissue culture (aseptic technique, expansion, banking) and comfort in BSL-2.
High experimental rigor, clear ELN documentation, and ability to run multiple experiments in parallel.