IVD Molecular Diagnostics Research Associate

Actalent; California; On-site; USD 37,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Research Associate to support development of next-generation molecular diagnostics and IVD products. You will design and optimize DNA- and RNA-based assays, perform PCR-based workflows, and contribute to device integration. Strong lab skills, document control, and collaboration with cross-functional teams are essential.

The role is contract-based in Carlsbad, CA, with pay $27.00–$31.00 per hour and benefits eligibility for a temporary role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Molecular Biology or related Life Sciences field.
• Minimum 2 years hands-on molecular biology/assay development experience.
• Ability to design, execute, and analyze lab experiments independently.

Responsibilities

• Support molecular diagnostic and IVD program development under guidance.
• Design, execute, and optimize experiments for benchtop and device platforms.
• Develop DNA/RNA assays to meet performance targets.
• Analyze data, draw conclusions, and propose next steps.
• Maintain GDP-compliant records and communicate results to teams.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to integrate assays into platforms.

Skills

Molecular biology

PCR techniques

Nucleic acid extraction

Assay development

Data analysis

Lab safety

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Molecular Biology / Biology / Biochemistry

Tools

qPCR instruments

Laboratory instrumentation

Excel

Data analysis software

Job description

Actalent is seeking a Research Associate to support development of next-generation molecular diagnostics and IVD products. You will design and optimize DNA- and RNA-based assays, perform PCR-based workflows, and contribute to device integration. Strong lab skills, document control, and collaboration with cross-functional teams are essential.

The role is contract-based in Carlsbad, CA, with pay $27.00–$31.00 per hour and benefits eligibility for a temporary role.