Senior Scientist I, Microfluidics

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with molecular biology scientists to define vector designs, expression formats, transfection strategies, cell selection approaches, and assay-readiness criteria.
• Establish workflows for transfecting, expanding, selecting, and qualifying library cell populations for downstream screening.
• Lead the development and optimization of biochemical and cell-based droplet-compatible assays for high-throughput screening of engineered protein libraries.
• Develop and implement pathway-responsive reporter-cell assays to enable functional screening of engineered molecules and expand the capabilities of the screening platform.
• Optimize assay performance by systematically evaluating biological and technical parameters to maximize robustness, sensitivity, reproducibility, and scalability.
• Partner with microfluidics engineers to integrate biological assays into high-throughput microfluidic screening workflows.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to guide assay optimization, platform development, and scientific decision-making.
• Troubleshoot biological and technical challenges, optimize established workflows, and identify opportunities to improve platform performance.

Required Professional Experience & Qualifications

• PhD in Cell Biology, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, Biophysics, or a related field; or MS with substantial relevant industry experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture, cell handling, transfection workflows, cell selection, and cell-based assay execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading the development and optimization of biological assays, preferably protein-based, cell-based or high-throughput screening assays.
• Working knowledge of antibody biology, recombinant protein engineering, or antibody discovery workflows.
• Ability to design experiments, troubleshoot complex biological systems, interpret quantitative data, and make clear recommendations based on results.
• Experience with fluorescence-based detection platforms such as flow cytometry, FACS, microscopy, plate readers, or related systems.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience interpreting complex biological datasets.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across biology, molecular biology, engineering, and platform teams.
• Enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, early-stage biotech environment, including regular collaboration with colleagues across US and European time zones.

Preferred Professional Experience & Qualifications

• Experience developing engineered mammalian cell pools, stable cell lines, reporter cell lines, or functional cell-based screening systems.
• Experience with antibody engineering, antibody discovery, directed evolution, display technologies, recombinant protein library screening, or pooled cell-library workflows.
• Experience developing functional or cell-based assays for monoclonal antibody discovery is desirable.
• Exposure to cell-free protein synthesis or related in-vitro expression systems.
• Exposure to droplet microfluidics, single-cell screening, microfluidic sorting, or other high-throughput screening platforms.
• Familiarity with next generation sequencing-enabled antibody screening workflows.

Benefits

Ampersand Biomedicines offers healthcare coverage, an annual incentive program, retirement benefits, and a broad range of other benefits.