Associate Scientist, Cell Culture

Element Biosciences; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Discretionary annual bonus

No-cost health insurance plans

401k with company match

Flexible paid time off

Job summary

Element Biosciences in San Diego is seeking an Associate Scientist, Cell Culture to support research and development in a BSL2 laboratory. The role focuses on mammalian cell culture, maintaining cells, and preparing them for downstream assays.

You will contribute to SOPs and collaborate with cross‑functional R&D teams in a dynamic, product‑driven environment. The ideal candidate has 2+ years of mammalian cell culture experience, strong data interpretation skills, and excellent communication

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands‑on mammalian cell culture experience in lab setting.
• Experience in BSL2 environment and standard cell culture workflows.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to present data to a team.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform and optimize mammalian cell culture workflows across multiple cell lines.
• Design and execute experiments to prepare cells for downstream assays; troubleshoot deviations.
• Monitor cell growth, viability, and health using microscopy and analytical methods; communicate findings.
• Maintain rigorous lab records and culture logs ensuring reproducibility and traceability.
• Contribute to SOP development and best practices for cell culture operations.
• Collaborate with R&D to align culture outputs with project timelines.

Skills

Analytical skills

Data interpretation

Organization

Communication skills

Independent troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's in Biology / related field

Master's degree a plus

Job description

At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

We are seeking an Associate Scientist, Cell Culture to support our research and development efforts in a BSL2 laboratory. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual with a strong interest in mammalian cell culture to gain hands‑on experience in a dynamic lab environment. The associate scientist will be responsible for culturing, maintaining, and preparing cells for downstream applications. This role is San Diego‑based and offers a great opportunity to develop expertise in cell culture techniques within a supportive research setting.

If you are eager to gain hands‑on experience in cell culture and contribute to impactful research, we encourage you to apply!

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Independently perform and optimize mammalian cell culture workflows, including maintenance, passaging, cryopreservation, and harvesting across multiple cell lines
• Design and execute experiments to prepare cells for downstream assays, adapting established protocols as needed and troubleshooting deviations
• Monitor and evaluate cell growth, viability, and health using microscopy and analytical techniques; interpret results and flag anomalies proactively
• Analyze and summarize experimental data, and communicate findings to the team through reports and presentations
• Maintain rigorous laboratory records, including culture logs and experimental data, ensuring reproducibility and traceability
• Contribute to the development and refinement of SOPs and best practices for cell culture operations
• Ensure proper handling and disposal of biological materials in accordance with BSL2 safety guidelines
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with R&D scientists to align culture outputs with project timelines and requirements
• Assist with general lab operations, including inventory management, equipment maintenance, and mentoring junior lab staff as needed

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field; Master's degree a plus
• 2+ years of hands‑on experience with mammalian cell culture techniques in an academic or industry research setting
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot experimental issues and exercise independent judgment with minimal supervision
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
• Experience working in a BSL2 lab required
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; experience presenting data to a team is a plus

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time
• Frequently moves boxes weighing up to 20 pounds

Location:

Travel:

• N/A

Job Type:

• Full‑time/Non‑Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

• $79,000 - $96,000

In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off.

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience.

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.