Senior Scientist - Organoid Model Development

Orakl Oncology; Villejuif; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Orakl Oncology in Île-de-France seeks a passionate Senior Scientist to expand the biobank by establishing patient-derived organoids from NSCLC and other tumours, from tissue receipt to stable lines ready for downstream applications. You will work with autonomy under the supervision of Gizem Altay.

You will develop robust culture protocols, ensure donor-to-donor reproducibility, and build QC strategies that support our AI predictive engine and hospital partnerships.

Qualifications

• PhD in cancer biology or related field with 5+ years hands-on experience in oncology/ translational settings.
• Proven experience establishing NSCLC patient-derived organoids from fresh specimens including tissue handling, dissociation, embedding, and long-term expansion.
• Strong track record in primary tumour culture, troubleshooting low take rates and donor-to-donor variability, and optimisation (media, matrix, passaging, cryopreservation).
• Exceptional wet-lab fundamentals: sterile technique, routine culture, assay development, and QC.
• Ability to plan, prioritise, and execute complex experimental pipelines with high quality and reproducibility.
• Strong analytical and quantitative data interpretation skills with clear documentation.

Responsibilities

• Establish NSCLC patient-derived organoids from fresh surgical specimens and develop robust culture protocols.
• Ensure reproducibility across donors and optimise culture conditions.
• Develop QC/characterisation strategies and contribute to decision-making for project directions.
• Lead experimental planning and execution with independence and high scientific standards.
• Collaborate with hospitals and pharma partners as part of multi-disciplinary teams.

Skills

Wet-lab fundamentals

Data interpretation

Experimental planning

Education

PhD in cancer biology

Tools

NGS workflows

Job description

Job description

At Orakl Oncology, we are accelerating the development of oncology treatments. Today, fewer than 5% of new cancer drugs succeed in clinical trials. Clearly, new methods are needed. We combine cutting-edge biology and AI to build the next generation of insight platforms with the world's largest cohort of patient tumor avatars. These avatars fuel our AI-powered predictive engine, helping to anticipate clinical trial outcomes, validate therapies, and uncover new drug candidates.

Our mission is simple yet ambitious: to bring more effective treatments to patients who need them - and to make drug development smarter, faster, and more personalised. We collaborate with top hospitals, research institutes, and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. Backed by leading investors, we are a fast-growing, mission-driven startup at the intersection of science and technology.

We are looking for a passionate, hands‑on Senior Scientist to expand Orakl's biobank to new indications. Working with significant autonomy and reporting to Gizem Altay, Principal Scientist, you will own the establishment of patient‑derived organoids from fresh surgical specimens - starting with NSCLC and extending to additional tumour types - from tissue receipt and dissociation through to stable, well‑characterised lines ready for downstream applications. You will develop and optimise robust culture protocols, ensure reproducibility across donors, and generate the high‑quality biological models that power our AI predictive engine and our partnerships with hospitals and pharma.

Preferred experience

Must have

• PhD in cancer biology, molecular biology, cell biology, biotechnology, or a related field, as well as 5+ years of hands‑on experience, including industry or translational settings.
• Proven, hands‑on experience establishing NSCLC patient‑derived organoids from fresh surgical specimens - including tissue handling, dissociation, embedding, and long‑term expansion.
• Strong track record in primary tumour culture, including troubleshooting low take‑rates, and donor‑to‑donor variability and other optimisation including: media formulation, matrix selection, passaging strategies, cryopreservation etc.
• Exceptional wet‑lab fundamentals: sterile technique, routine culture, assay development, and QC.
• Prior experience in building scientific direction, ownership of QC/characterisation strategy, and decision‑making
• Demonstrated ability to independently plan, prioritise, and execute complex experimental pipelines with high quality and reproducibility.
• Strong analytical and quantitative data‑interpretation skills, with clear documentation and reporting.

Nice to have

• Direct experience collaborating with hospitals, pathology departments, or surgical teams on biospecimen workflows.
• Experience with drug‑response profiling in organoids (dose‑response, time‑course, combination assays).
• Knowledge of molecular biology techniques and NGS workflows (WES, RNA‑seq) for organoid characterisation and tumour‑organoid concordance.
• Previous responsibility for managing CROs or academic collaborations.
• Experience mentoring junior scientists or lab technicians, and establishing lab standards.

What will you find at Orakl

Mission: Work in a cutting‑edge environment, on the bleeding edge of cancer research.

Growth opportunities: we're rapidly expanding the scope of our work and you will be offered multiple opportunities to grow with it!

Impact: you're going to be participating in a fast‑growing, multi‑faced project with multiple opportunities to shape it according to your interests.

More about Orakl on our Welcome to the Jungle page and on our website

Recruitment steps

• Introduction call (20min) - An initial discussion to better understand your background, experiences, and motivations.
• Technical Interview (45min) - A deep dive into your technical skills and expertise relevant to the role.
• Case Interview (1h) - A case study or problem‑solving exercise to assess your strategic thinking and analytical abilities. In‑person when possible to meet the team.
• Reference calls - 2-3 references including at least a direct manager.
• Culture Fit Interview (45min) - A conversation with our team to ensure alignment with our company culture, values, and ways of working.