Scientist

Leiden Bio Science Park; Leiden; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Ncardia is seeking a Scientist with strong experience in iPSC differentiation and stem cell biology to join our growing team. This role combines hands-on laboratory work with project leadership and exposure to commercial activities, offering an excellent opportunity to broaden impact beyond the bench.

As a Scientist, you will design, execute, and troubleshoot differentiation and manufacturing experiments, lead client projects, coordinate across multidisciplinary teams, and mentor junior

Qualifications

• PhD in stem cell biology or related field with 4+ years industry experience.
• Strong practical experience with iPSC culture and differentiation.
• Experience designing, optimizing, and troubleshooting differentiation protocols.
• Experience managing scientific projects with timelines and budgets.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills with client-facing experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot stem cell differentiation and manufacturing experiments in a laboratory-based setting.
• Serve as a technical expert in iPSC culture, differentiation, and process development.
• Optimize and transfer differentiation protocols across multiple cell types and projects.
• Lead client projects from initiation through completion, ensuring delivery against timelines, budgets, and scientific objectives.
• Coordinate activities across multidisciplinary teams and act as the primary scientific point of contact for assigned projects.
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate experimental results to internal stakeholders and clients.
• Contribute to client proposals, study designs, and scientific discussions during business development activities.
• Collaborate with the commercial team to translate client needs into practical scientific solutions.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of new technologies across the organization.
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to maintaining high scientific standards.

Skills

iPSC culture

Differentiation

Process development

Project leadership

Client engagement

Scientific communication

CRO/pharma experience

Education

PhD in Stem Cell Biology

Tools

Bioreactor culture

Job description

At Ncardia, we believe iPSC technology is the key to improving the clinical success of new therapeutics. By combining deep iPSC expertise, broad assay capabilities, and a strong understanding of human disease biology, we empower drug developers to make critical decisions earlier and with greater confidence. Our expertise spans from iPSC generation, large-scale differentiation, and cell manufacturing (Manufacturing team) to disease modelling, assay development, and screening (Discovery services).

We are seeking a Scientist with strong experience in iPSC differentiation and stem cell biology to join our growing team. This role combines hands‑on laboratory work with project leadership and exposure to commercial activities, offering an excellent opportunity for a scientist looking to broaden their impact beyond the bench.

Your Role

As a Scientist, you are a critical player in advancing our scientific programs and delivering excellence to clients and partners. You bring not only scientific depth but also a strategic mindset and a passion for turning ideas into tangible outcomes. You will:

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot stem cell differentiation and manufacturing experiments in a laboratory-based setting.
• Serve as a technical expert in iPSC culture, differentiation, and process development.
• Optimize and transfer differentiation protocols across multiple cell types and projects.
• Lead client projects from initiation through completion, ensuring delivery against timelines, budgets, and scientific objectives.
• Coordinate activities across multidisciplinary teams and act as the primary scientific point of contact for assigned projects.
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate experimental results to internal stakeholders and clients.
• Contribute to client proposals, study designs, and scientific discussions during business development activities.
• Collaborate with the commercial team to translate client needs into practical scientific solutions.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives and implementation of new technologies across the organization.
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to maintaining high scientific standards.

A Ph.D. in Stem cell biology, Cell biology, Biotechnology, or a related field, with 4+ years of relevant experience (industry experience is a strong plus)

• Strong practical experience with iPSC culture and differentiation is essential.
• Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting complex differentiation protocols.
• Experience managing scientific projects with accountability for timelines, deliverables, and budget is strongly preferred.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong scientific communication skills and confidence interacting with clients.
• Interest in commercial aspects of biotechnology, including proposal writing and client engagement.
• Experience working within a CRO, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical environment is preferred.
• Experience with bioreactor-based cell culture or scale-up activities is considered a plus but is not required.