PhD Candidate, Tissue Rejuvenation

Retro Biosciences; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Retro Biosciences in Redwood City is seeking a motivated team member for its Tissue Reprogramming team to support osteoarthritis and aging research. This role includes performing therapeutic vector administration, rodent necropsy, and lab workflows as part of a collaborative team.

The ideal candidate holds an MS degree in a relevant field with hands-on laboratory experience. Applicants should possess strong attention to detail and a proactive attitude. The company values a diverse and mission-driven work culture.

Qualifications

• Perform therapeutic vector administration and necropsy.
• Execute cell culture and flow cytometry as needed.
• Analyze biological datasets with precision.

Responsibilities

• Improve and optimize experimental workflows.
• Collaborate across biology, computation, and automation teams.
• Contribute to in vivo gene therapy experiments.

Skills

Hands-on laboratory experience

Rodent necropsy

Attention to detail

Cell culture

Flow cytometry

Education

MS degree in Biology or related discipline

Tools

Histology

Immunohistochemistry

Immunofluorescence

Job description

Overview

Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to broadly improve tissue function by targeting mechanisms of aging with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan. We’re building a mission-driven team of accomplished and kind individuals who embrace our startup culture of rapid iteration, transparency, and versatility. We are hiring a new member of the Tissue Reprogramming team who is highly motivated to provide direct support to our osteoarthritis and aging research programs while you learn, and develop your scientific capabilities in the Retro PhD program. In this role, you will enable the team to move faster and iterate more quickly by increasing the capacity for hands-on work in the lab. You’ll have the opportunity to learn rapidly, contribute meaningfully, and grow within a highly collaborative and mission-driven team. This role is for a team-first individual who is motivated by shared scientific progress and is eager to contribute wherever the work is most needed.

Learn more about the Retro PhD program → Learn more

About You

You are intellectually curious and deeply motivated to help advance research on the biology of aging. You embody a proactive, resourceful attitude and perform hands-on experimental work with exquisite attention to detail. You operate with a high-degree of flexibility and adaptability that will enable you to support programs in preclinical and proof of concept stages. You communicate openly and thoughtfully, and approach challenges with humility, integrity, and a strong sense of ownership. You’re eager to spend your time deeply engaged in hands-on science and to build the foundation for your future career as a scientist.

In this role, you will

• Perform therapeutic vector administration, rodent necropsy, tissue harvesting, tissue digestion for primary cell isolation, histology (including immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence), and imaging workflows in a cross-functional team setting.
• Execute cell culture, flow cytometry, and live animal work as the team needs.
• Maintain timely, accurate experimental records and analyze biological datasets.
• Support optimization and execution of experimental workflows and SOPs with strong attention to detail.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively across biology, computation, automation and operations teams.
• Contribute proactively to improving workflows, increasing efficiency, and solving experimental challenges.
• Present experimental updates and contribute to scientific discussions.
• Contribute to experiments that help shape Retro’s approach to in vivo gene therapy.

You might thrive in this role if you have

• MS degree in Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Cell Biology, Immunology, or related discipline.
• Prior hands-on laboratory experience, including rodent necropsy, tissue harvesting and primary cell isolation, cell culture, flow cytometry, histology and imaging.
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Intellectual curiosity, adaptability, strong motivation to grow, and a proactive, can-do attitude.
• An ownership mentality and an eagerness to contribute wherever needed, continuously improving workflows and execution.
• A highly collaborative nature and low-ego with excellent communication skills and high integrity.

It’s a bonus if you have

• Experience with epigenetic reprogramming, regenerative biology, or aging/longevity research, particularly in the fields of musculoskeletal, osteoarthritis, inflammatory, or degenerative diseases.
• Experience with mouse or rat surgeries.

We take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, open communication, and authenticity. We believe that great results are best delivered by a highly creative team working in concert. We are an equal opportunity employer; we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are diverse in background and singular in mission.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.