Research Associate

Job Description

Job Summary:

• The Oncology Discovery team at the Client is seeking a Research Associate to support our drug discovery and characterization efforts.
• An early-career level position.
• Familiarity with core industry and lab practices and standards.
• Solves routine problems of limited Product and complexity.
• The qualified candidate will leverage various CRISPR/Cas9 technologies to enable genetic/multiplexed cell line screens to support early and late stage drug mechanism of action studies.
• They will assist senior team members in performing the totality of the screening process, including cell line engineering, cell treatment experiments, NGS library preparation, and target validation.
• Common skills and techniques used will include mammalian cell culture, lentiviral transduction, DNA/protein isolation, PCR, flow cytometry, and western blot.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills and will be capable of working collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Must demonstrate the ability to multi-task and prioritize time management of daily activities to deliver timely results.
• Wet lab research experience is required, no PhD candidates.

Responsibilities:

• Execute cellular and molecular biology protocols in the laboratory.
• Maintain cancer cell lines and establish new stable lines via lentiviral transduction.
• Validate engineered cell lines by reporter assays and PCR.
• Perform genetic targeting using siRNA, shRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 technology for cell line characterization and screening.
• Conduct routine molecular and cellular experiments including gDNA and RNA isolation, PCR, cloning, western blot analysis, flow cytometry, and microplate cell proliferation assays.
• Identify experimental issues, troubleshoot, and recommend a corrective course of action.
• Design experiments and protocol optimization in collaboration with senior researchers.
• Maintain details lab notebooks and record data in electronic notebook in accordance with company policy.
• Communicate results in written and oral presentations.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biology (no PhD candidates).
• 2+ years of wet lab experience (not including lab classes): experience in mammalian cell culture is required.
• Basic molecular biology skills (PCR especially; familiarity with library prep preferred).
• Proficient in laboratory math (dilutions, cell count-based plating).
• Excellent organizational skills and record-keeping (Excel & PowerPoint.)