Molecular lentivirus T cell Scientist/SRA

Tulynode Biosciences Inc; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Tulynode Biosciences Inc. is seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate/Scientist to join our Discovery and Cell Therapy team.

This hands-on role focuses on using lentiviral vector platforms to genetically engineer tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for next-generation adoptive cell therapies. You will support molecular cloning, lentivirus production, T-cell transduction, and functional characterization of engineered immune cells.

Qualifications

• MS/BS in molecular biology or related field.
• 1–3+ years of post-graduate laboratory experience in biotech or similar.
• Proficiency in aseptic mammalian cell culture.
• Experience with transfection and lentiviral transduction workflows.
• Experience with multi-color flow cytometry and FlowJo analysis.
• Exposure to T-cell therapy expansion techniques is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute protocols for producing, concentrating, and titrating lentiviral vectors.
• Isolate, expand, and maintain primary human T cells and TILs in aseptic culture.
• Perform molecular biology tasks including plasmid cloning and qPCR analyses.
• Perform flow cytometry, assess transduction efficiency and surface markers.
• Conduct in vitro functional assays (cytotoxicity and cytokine profiling).
• Maintain ELN records and present data to cross-functional teams.

Skills

T-cell culture

Lentiviral transduction

Molecular biology

Flow cytometry

Data analysis

Education

MS/BS in Molecular Biology or related

Tools

FlowJo

GraphPad Prism

Job description

Company Description

Tulynode Biosciences Inc. is a biotechnology company dedicated to addressing critical unmet needs in oncology by harnessing each patient's own immune system. The company focuses on activating autologous immune cells that are specific to an individual's tumor, aiming to deliver effective and safer cellular therapies with ex vivo manipulation. Tulynode's gene modification strategy and "Immuno-Pod" platform is designed to expose otherwise inaccessible tumors in vivo, enhancing tumor-specific immune cell activation. This approach seamlessly integrates ex vivo and in vivo processes to create highly personalized, next-generation cancer treatments. Team members have the opportunity to contribute to innovative therapies at the intersection of immunology, gene modification, and oncology.

Role Description

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Senior Research Associate/Scientist to join our Discovery and Cell Therapy team. This hands-on, laboratory-based role focuses on utilizing lentiviral vector platforms to genetically engineer tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) for next-generation adoptive cell therapies. The successful candidate will support molecular cloning, lentivirus production, T-cell transduction, and the functional characterization of engineered immune cells. This position is ideal for a MS/BS-level scientist with strong foundational skills in molecular biology and a passion for cancer immunotherapy related to T cell therapy

Key Responsibilities

• Lentiviral Vector Production & Engineering: Design and execute protocols for producing, concentrating, and titering lentiviral vectors. Assist in the construction of transfer and packaging plasmids for viral delivery.
• TIL Cultivation & Modification: Isolate, expand, and maintain primary human T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) using aseptic tissue culture techniques. Execute and optimize lentiviral transduction workflows to introduce genetic modifications.
• Molecular Biology Support: Perform routine molecular biology techniques, including plasmid cloning, genomic DNA/RNA isolation, qPCR/RT-qPCR, and Sanger sequencing analysis.
• Phenotypic & Functional Characterization: Perform multi-color flow cytometry (FACS) to assess T-cell immunophenotyping, transduction efficiency, and surface marker expression. Run in vitro functional assays, including cytotoxicity (tumor cell killing) and cytokine production profiling (ELISA/Luminex).
• Data Management & Collaboration: Maintain meticulous electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN), analyze datasets using software like FlowJo and GraphPad Prism, and present findings to cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Education: Master/ Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Experience: 1-3+ years of post-graduation laboratory experience preferably in a biotechnology industry setting (title commensurate with experience).
• Demonstrated proficiency in aseptic mammalian cell culture, ideally with primary human immune cells (T cells) or TILs.
• Hands-on experience with transfection methods (e.g., HEK293T packaging) and lentiviral transduction workflows.
• Foundational molecular biology skills (PCR, restriction cloning, or Gibson Assembly).
• Experience with multi-color flow cytometry panels and data analysis using FlowJo.
• Prior exposure to standard T-cell therapy expansion techniques, bioreactors, or scale-up workflows.
• Knowledge of T-cell exhaustion markers and mechanisms driving the tumor microenvironment.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to manage multiple experiments simultaneously, and excellent communication skills for working in a fast-paced team environment.