Associate Scientist, Technical Operations

Personalis, Inc; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) match

Employee stock purchase plan

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Commuter benefits

EV charging

Onsite gym

Wellness program

Job summary

Personalis, Inc. in Fremont, CA is seeking an Associate Scientist, Technical Operations to drive improvements in our Next Generation Sequencing products.

You will collaborate across R&D, Operations, and Regulatory to transfer and validate new processes, support automation, and optimize lab workflows. The role requires hands-on molecular biology skills, familiarity with LIMS, and experience in high-throughput laboratory environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering or related field with relevant experience; CLS certification is desirable.
• Hands-on experience with NGS technologies and sample prep workflows in CLIA/CAP environments.
• Familiarity with lab informatics systems (LIMS) and automation.
• Strong communication and collaboration across R&D, Operations, Quality and Regulatory.

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional teams to implement new products and automated processes, plan operational releases, and manage product life cycle.
• Contribute to strategic plan to ensure sustainability and scalability of lab operations.
• Support troubleshooting and corrective action investigations in the lab.
• Assist with deploying improvements to LIMS and associated instruments/software.
• Plan and drive end-to-end testing and validation of NGS assays and workflows.
• Identify growth opportunities in sample volume and implement operational improvements.
• Participate in project teams and deliver project artifacts per development process.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Six Sigma Green Belt

Genomics/NGS workflows

Education

Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering or related field

Tools

LIMS

Laboratory automation

ISO 13485 experience

Job description

Associate Scientist, Technical Operations

Fremont, CA

At Personalis, we are transforming the active management of cancer through breakthrough personalized testing. We aim to drive a new paradigm for cancer management, guiding care from biopsy through the life of the patient. Our highly sensitive assays combine tumor-and-normal profiling with proprietary algorithms to deliver advanced insights even as cancer evolves over time. Our products are designed to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) and recurrence at the earliest timepoints, enable selection of targeted therapies based on ultra-comprehensive genomic profiling, and enhance biomarker strategy for drug development. Personalis is based in Fremont, California.

Summary:

As an Associate Scientist within the Technical Operations group, you will be responsible for initiating, supporting, and implementing improvements to existing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) based products and leading transfer and validation of new processes and products into operations. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques and familiarity working with high throughput lab information systems and robotic liquid handlers. You will be encouraged to think outside the box and creatively solve problems while collaborating with different groups across the organization.

Responsibilities:

Partner with cross-functional teams such as R&D, Operations, LIMS, Supply Chain, Data Analytics, Quality, and Regulatory to implement new products and automated processes, plan operational releases, and manage product life cycle.

Contribute to the company's strategic plan to ensure the sustainability and scalability of lab operational processes and to meet evolving regulatory requirements.

Participate in lab operations troubleshooting effort and support non-conformance investigations and corrective action implementations.

Assist the LIMS team with deploying improvements and extensions to the existing Operations Informatics systems, as well as associated lab instruments and software systems.

Plan and drive execution of end-to-end testing and validation pertaining to Next Generation Sequencing assays and workflows.

Partner with lab operations, product development, research and automation teams to identify areas of growth in sample volume and implement potential operational improvements.

Participate in project core teams, lead working teams, and collaborate cross-functional to formulate relevant project deliverables per the company's product development process.

Qualifications:

A Bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering or related field with a minimum of 6 years relevant experience. An advanced degree can be advantageous. CLS certification is highly desirable.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills and willingness to collaborate cross-functionally.

Practical hands-on knowledge of Next Generation Sequencing technologies and sample preparation workflows performed in CLIA/CAP regulated environment. Experience with ISO 13485/FDA is a plus.

LIMS integration and Laboratory automation experience.

Proven ability to think innovatively toward solving problems effectively and efficiently. Six Sigma Green Belt certification is a plus.

Analytical, detail-oriented, organized, takes initiative, and self-motivated.

The hiring range for this position is $109,000 to $132,000 per year, which may factor in various geographic regions. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. Our full-time regular positions also include an annual performance-based bonus (or a sales incentive plan) and long-term incentive units (equity) provided as part of our compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

Personalis is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals. As part of this commitment, Personalis will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you need an accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please let your recruiter know, if/when they contacts you.

Personalis is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabilities. Personalis offers a competitive compensation package and benefits including medical,dental, vision, 401(k) match, ESPP, tuition reimbursement, sick/vacation time, commuter benefits/ EV charging stations, onsite gym, and wellness benefits. (For US only, benefits in other countries may vary.)