Lab Operations Specialist - Hands-On Scientist Support

Merge; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Merge Labs in San Francisco is seeking its first Sci Ops Associate to own repeatable scientific operations, from cell line banking and mycoplasma testing to reagent preparation and protein purification. This hands-on role requires spending up to 90% of time in the lab and collaborating with researchers to establish SOPs that keep experiments running smoothly.

You will also prepare stocks and gels, run QC on outputs, support cloning workflows, and assist with LabOps duties such as incubator

Qualifications

• Hands-on wet-lab experience, including sterile technique and cell culture.
• Experience with protein expression/purification and multi-well plate workflows.
• Ability to work independently on repetitive, detail-critical tasks.
• Experience writing or following SOPs in a research or regulated lab environment.

Responsibilities

• Perform and own routine cell biology tasks: mycoplasma testing for all cell lines, cell line banking and expansion, and cryovial inventory monitoring.
• Prepare lab stocks: dissolving, pH adjustment, filtering, and aliquoting media, buffers, and antibiotic stocks.
• Make purified proteins and glycerol stocks to support recurring scientific workflows.
• Pour agar plates with appropriate antibiotics and prepare competent cells with transformation efficiency QC.
• Coordinate contamination response and assist with lab operations as needed.
• Write and maintain SOPs for all recurring tasks.
• Support general cloning workflows to reduce prep burden on scientists.

Skills

Hands-on wet-lab experience

Sterile technique

Cell culture

Protein expression/purification

SOP writing

Job description

Merge Labs in San Francisco is seeking its first Sci Ops Associate to own repeatable scientific operations, from cell line banking and mycoplasma testing to reagent preparation and protein purification. This hands-on role requires spending up to 90% of time in the lab and collaborating with researchers to establish SOPs that keep experiments running smoothly.

You will also prepare stocks and gels, run QC on outputs, support cloning workflows, and assist with LabOps duties such as incubator