Bioassay Research Scientist II

US132 Guidehouse Digital, LLC; Silver Spring (MD); On-site; USD 65,000 - 108,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Parental Leave

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Guidehouse, a federal-regulatory science focused research team, seeks a PhD scientist to advance cell-based NF-κB bioassays and regulatory science projects. You will culture mammalian cells, design subunit-specific assays, and analyze data to support potency and mechanism studies for biologics.

You will prepare scientific manuscripts and reports, collaborate with stakeholders, and contribute to internal and external presentations while maintaining rigorous notebooks and documentation.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. degree in molecular biology, cell biology, or a closely related field.
• Minimum two (2) years of relevant research experience in molecular biology, cell-based assay development, bioassay characterization, and mammalian cell culture techniques.
• Experience designing and executing scientific studies independently with high-level guidance from project leaders.
• Experience conducting data collection, analysis, and preparation of scientific manuscripts, technical reports, or research summaries.
• Ability to process, interpret, and clearly communicate complex scientific data to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing technical reports and scientific presentations.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative laboratory research environment and support regulatory science objectives.

Responsibilities

• Perform mammalian cell culture, cell line engineering support, and maintenance of relevant human cell lines used as bioassay substrates.
• Develop, optimize, and qualify cell-based bioassays detecting total and subunit-specific NF-κB activity.
• Process, analyze, interpret, and document experimental data per project plans and quality standards.
• Prepare technical reports, scientific summaries, and final project documentation.
• Support manuscript preparation and dissemination of findings through presentations or conferences.
• Maintain complete laboratory notebooks and data files with supporting documentation.
• Collaborate with regulatory staff and stakeholders to advance public health objectives.
• Provide project updates and recommendations for effective project execution.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Bioassay development

Data analysis

Scientific communication

Independent project execution

Collaborative work

Education

Ph.D. in molecular biology / cell biology or related field

Job description

Job Family: Scientist Travel Required: Up to 10% Clearance Required: Ability to Obtain Public Trust

Our federal client conducts regulatory science research to support the evaluation and monitoring of drug quality, safety, efficacy, and pharmaceutical quality standards. The researcher will support laboratory-based experiments focused on NF-κB activity and signal detection strategies. This work supports regulatory science objectives related to potency assay development for biological products whose mechanisms of action depend on modulation of specific subunits.

What You Will Do:

• Perform mammalian cell culture, cell line engineering support, and maintenance of relevant human cell lines used as bioassay substrates.
• Develop, optimize, and support qualification of cell-based bioassays capable of detecting total NF-κB activity and subunit-specific NF-κB activity, with emphasis on c-Rel-specific bioassays for comparative analysis studies.
• Process, analyze, interpret, and document experimental data in accordance with project plans, laboratory standards, and applicable quality expectations.
• Prepare technical reports, scientific summaries, presentations, and final project documentation describing experimental procedures, data analysis, findings, and conclusions.
• Support manuscript preparation and dissemination of scientific findings through internal and external scientific presentations or conferences.
• Maintain complete and accurate laboratory notebooks, experimental records, methods, data files, and supporting documentation.
• Participate in interdisciplinary scientific collaborations with regulatory staff and other project stakeholders to advance public health objectives.
• Provide project updates, progress summaries, issue identification, and recommendations to support effective project execution.
• Complete required corporate and client training and maintain required credentials and system access.

What You Will Need:

• Ph.D. degree in molecular biology, cell biology, or a closely related scientific field.
• Minimum two (2) years of relevant research experience in general molecular biology, cell-based assay development, bioassay characterization, and experimental design and mammalian cell culture techniques.
• Experience designing and executing scientific studies independently with high-level guidance from project leaders.
• Experience conducting data collection, analysis, and preparation of scientific manuscripts, technical reports, or research summaries.
• Ability to process, interpret, and clearly communicate complex scientific data to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing technical reports and scientific presentations.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative laboratory research environment and support regulatory science objectives.

What Would Be Nice To Have:

• Experience developing, optimizing, qualifying, or validating bioassay methods for biological products, biotechnology products, biosimilars, or complex therapeutics.
• Experience developing potency, functional, mechanism-of-action, or subunit-specific bioassays (i.e. NF-κB, c-Rel, RelA, RelB, p50, p52) and analyzing inflammatory and oncology-related signaling pathways.
• Familiarity with ICH, USP, FDA, GLP, ISO, or equivalent laboratory quality standards.
• Experience preparing manuscripts, scientific posters, regulatory science reports, white papers, or conference presentations.
• Prior experience supporting FDA, HHS, NIH, or other public health or regulatory science research programs.

The annual salary range for this position is $65,000.00-$108,000.00. Compensation decisions depend on a wide range of factors, including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, security clearances, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.

What We Offer:

• Medical, Rx, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Personal and Family Sick Time & Company Paid Holidays
• Parental Leave
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Group Term Life and Travel Assistance
• Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance
• Health Savings Account, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Transit and Parking Commuter Benefits
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development, Certifications & Learning Opportunities
• Employee Referral Program
• Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach
• Care.com annual membership
• Employee Assistance Program
• Supplemental Benefits via Corestream (Critical Care, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Assistance and ID theft protection, etc.)
• Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus

Guidehouse is an Equal Opportunity Employer–Protected Veterans, Individuals with Disabilities or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.

Guidehouse will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law or ordinance including the Fair Chance Ordinance of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Guidehouse is a global AI-led professional services firm delivering advisory, technology, and managed services to the commercial and government sectors. With an integrated business technology approach, Guidehouse drives efficiency and resilience in the healthcare, financial services, energy, infrastructure, and national security markets. Built to help clients across industries outwit complexity, the firm brings together approximately 18,000 professionals to achieve lasting impact and shape a meaningful future.