Molecular Biology Research Associate I

Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Research Assistant / Research Associate I in Molecular Biology to support nucleic acid therapeutics projects in San Diego. The role involves plasmid design, cloning workflows, mRNA production, and mammalian cell culture with emphasis on data integrity and teamwork.

The candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 0–2 years of lab experience, with strong communication and organizational skills in a fast-paced research setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or related field.
• 0-2 years of laboratory experience in academia, biotech, or pharma settings.
• Hands-on experience with standard molecular biology techniques and cloning workflows.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture, aseptic technique, and transfection.
• Familiarity with protein analysis or immunoassay methods such as Western blotting or ELISA.
• Proficiency with Excel for data organization and PowerPoint for presentations.
• Strong written and verbal communication, excellent organization, and record-keeping.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze plasmids using SnapGene or similar software.
• Perform cloning workflows including PCR, digestion, Gibson Assembly, and bacterial transformation.
• Maintain bacterial cultures and plasmid stocks; perform purification and sequencing verification.
• Prepare IVT reactions for mRNA production and assist in mRNA characterization.
• Maintain mammalian cell culture, perform transfections, and monitor cell health.
• Conduct protein analysis via Western blot, ELISA, and related immunoassays.
• Analyze data with Excel and GraphPad Prism; prepare graphs and summaries.
• Document experiments, maintain notebooks, and ensure data integrity.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

Bacterial culture

Transfection

Data analysis

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology or related field

Tools

SnapGene

GraphPad Prism

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Research Assistant / Research Associate I in Molecular Biology to support nucleic acid therapeutics projects in San Diego. The role involves plasmid design, cloning workflows, mRNA production, and mammalian cell culture with emphasis on data integrity and teamwork.

The candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and 0–2 years of lab experience, with strong communication and organizational skills in a fast-paced research setting.