Associate Scientist/Scientist I, Cell Analytical Product Sciences

Dispatch Biotherapeutics, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 72,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Medical, vision, dental coverage

401(k) with generous contribution

Life insurance

Flexible PTO

Additional substantial benefits

Job summary

Dispatch Biotherapeutics, Inc. is seeking an Associate Scientist/Scientist I, Cell Analytical Product Sciences in Philadelphia, PA.

You will support development and execution of cell-based analytical methods to understand and characterize cell and gene therapy products across clinical stages. Role involves mammalian cell culture, cloning, functional assays, data interpretation and collaboration with scientists to advance analytical capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 2+ years of relevant laboratory experience or Master’s degree in Biology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or related life science discipline.
• Hands-on mammalian cell culture, including aseptic technique and maintenance of adherent and suspension cell lines.
• Experience executing cell-based assays in a research or biopharmaceutical setting.
• Understanding of viral vector biology, virology, immunology or cell/gene therapy concepts.
• Flow cytometry experience: sample prep, staining, basic data analysis.
• Strong documentation and data interpretation skills with attention to reproducibility.
• Ability to manage multiple experiments and communicate findings effectively.
• Collaborative and proactive attitude with willingness to learn new techniques.
• Experience with GraphPad Prism or JMP for data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Execute cell-based analytical methods to assess biological activity and cellular responses for product characterization.
• Maintain mammalian cell cultures and prepare materials for analytical studies.
• Develop and characterize cellular clones and model systems for functional testing.
• Support characterization studies for viral vectors and viral-based products.
• Document experiments using established lab procedures and SOPs.
• Analyze results, communicate findings, and assist with troubleshooting.
• Support assay development, validation, optimization and technology transfer.
• Collaborate with cross-functional scientists to enhance analytical capabilities.
• Maintain lab organization, equipment and reagent inventories.

Job description

Associate Scientist/Scientist I, Cell Analytical Product Sciences

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

About us

Our purpose at Dispatch is to help create a world where all cancer patients can be cured. We’re humbled by the opportunity to work together as a team on some of the most pressing medical challenges of our time.

To achieve our purpose, we are dedicated to engineering a universal treatment across solid tumors. We’re committed to the development of novel therapies, leveraging first-in-class technologies in viral vectors, universal targets, and novel cytokine biology. Our therapeutic approach has the potential to enable us to treat significant numbers of cancer patients and make a real and lasting impact on the world.

Our company was founded on pioneering work carried out in the laboratories of Dr. Carl June (University of Pennsylvania), Dr. Kole Roybal (University of California, San Francisco), Dr. Christopher Garcia (Stanford University) and Dr. Andy Minn (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center).

At our company, you would become one of our early team members— not only playing a role in meeting our ambitious mission but also building our thriving culture. We are determined to deliver with urgency to discover new solutions and we always stay dedicated to scientific rigor; we have an ownership mindset because each and every one of us is integral to our success. Collaboration is core for us because we believe that by bringing people together with diverse perspectives, we make a stronger whole. And, we show we care about our work and each other by sharing feedback - ultimately in service of our vision to empower people to continue forward with their lives — cancer free.

The role

The Associate Scientist/Scientist I in Cellular Analytics and Product Sciences will support the development, execution, and continuous improvement of cell-based analytical methods that enable product understanding and characterization of cell and gene therapy products throughout clinical stages of development. Reporting intothe Scientist III, Cell Analytical Product Sciences, this laboratory-based role will contribute to routine analytical testing while partnering with Scientists on analytical method development, validation, troubleshooting, and technology advancement initiatives. The successful candidate will demonstrate and develop technical expertise in mammalian cell culture, cell cloning, functional assays, and cell-based analytical techniques while progressively assuming greater scientific ownership through experimental execution, data interpretation, and collaborative problem solving.

Key responsibilities

• Execute cell-based analytical methods, including assays designed to assess biological activity and cellular responses in support of product characterization testing.
• Maintain mammalian cell cultures and prepare biological materials for analytical studies.
• Develop and characterize cellular clones and cell-based model systems to support functional testing.
• Perform studies and testing to support characterization of viral vectors and viral-based products.
• Perform and document experiments using established laboratory procedures.
• Analyze experimental results, communicate findings, and assist with troubleshooting.
• Support assay development, validation, optimization, and technology transfer initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional scientists to improve analytical capabilities and enhance product understanding.
• Maintain laboratory organization, equipment, and reagent inventories to support efficient laboratory operations.

Required experience & skills

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 2 years of relevant laboratory experience or Master’s degree in Biology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or a related life science discipline and a minimum of 6 months of hands‑on laboratory experience in academia/industry
• Hands‑on experience with mammalian cell culture, including aseptic technique and routine maintenance of adherent and suspension cell lines
• Experience executing cell‑based assays in a research or biopharmaceutical laboratory setting
• Working knowledge of viral vector biology, virology, immunology and/or cell and gene therapy products, with ability to apply concepts to experimental interpretations
• Working knowledge of flow cytometry, including sample preparation, staining, and basic data analysis
• Strong laboratory organization, documentation and attention to detail with the ability to generate reproducible experimental data
• Ability to analyze experimental results, troubleshoot routine technical issues, and communicate findings effectively
• Documented ability to manage multiple experiments while maintaining high‑quality scientific standards
• Strong collaboration and communication skills with a willingness to learn new analytical techniques
• Experience using data analysis software such as GraphPad Prism, JMP, or similar

Preferred experience & skills

• Experience working in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, CRO, or translational research environments
• Experience with immune cell or tumor cell co‑culture assays
• Familiarity with assay development, optimization, qualification, or validation.
• Experience troubleshooting and optimizing cell‑based assays, including identification of assay variability and failure modes
• Experience with quantitative image analysis and/or automated microscopy workflows
• Experience with automated/semi‑automated liquid handling and high-throughput assay workflows
• Familiarity with ELN systems and GMP/GLP documentation practices

Our values

Our values guide everything we do. While capabilities and skills are vital, understanding how a potential new colleague would embody our values is central to our hiring decisions.

Determined to deliver

By working with focus and passion, we can provide patients with the solutions they need.

Own every outcome

We can reach new heights when we stay centered on our shared success.

Collaboration at the core

When we band together, our work is better.

Feedback is fundamental

Constructive and authentic positive feedback may be difficult to master but it is vital to our success.

Working here

• We offer a highly competitive compensation package with meaningful ownership through equity
• Excellent coverage for medical, vision, and dental
• 401(k) with generous contribution
• Life insurance
• Flexible PTO policy
• Additional substantial benefits

We are an equal opportunity employer.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, national origin, or any characteristic protected under applicable law.