Principal Scientist, Stem Cell Process Development

HexemBio; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Meaningful equity

Benefits package

Job summary

HexemBio is seeking a Senior Scientist to lead process development for stem cell programs. This hands-on role offers ownership to design and execute bench work, define scalable culture processes, and work directly with the founders to advance regenerative medicine platforms.

The candidate will drive in-process controls, develop assays, and mentor junior staff while aligning with regulatory considerations and CDMO collaborations. Strong biology background and leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or MD/PhD in stem cell biology or related field.
• At least 3 years of industry experience in cell therapy or regenerative medicine process development.
• Proven track record in pluripotent stem cell work (publications, patents, or comparable accomplishments).
• Hands-on bench expertise in large-scale cell culture, flow cytometry, CFU assays, qPCR, and molecular biology.
• Familiarity with cGMP concepts, in-process controls, assay qualification, and documentation practices.
• Genuine bench expertise and intent to keep doing it.
• Willingness to work around timepoint demands of primary/pluripotent cell culture, including occasional weekends.
• Track record of moving fast without losing rigor in an early-stage environment.
• Foundational role contributing to platform/process definitions.
• Direct collaboration with founders and an advisory network.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and document scalable culture processes for pluripotent stem cell derived material and primary hematopoietic cells.
• Drive in-process controls, critical process parameters, and release assays from bench scale toward clinical scale.
• Execute and troubleshoot at the bench across differentiation, expansion, harvest, and formulation steps.
• Design characterization and potency assays and interpret data for program/regulatory decisions.
• Support tech transfer to CDMO partners and contribute to CMC sections of regulatory filings.
• Train and mentor junior scientists at the bench.
• Collaborate with leadership to set research priorities and scientific direction.

Skills

Cell culture at scale

Flow cytometry

Colony Forming Unit assays

qPCR

Molecular biology

cGMP concepts

Education

PhD or MD/PhD in stem cell biology, cell biology, bioengineering, or related field

Job description

Company Description

HexemBio is a biotechnology company developing regenerative therapies based on the Synthetic Human Yolk Sac, a platform designed to rejuvenate aging blood stem cells by recreating their original developmental environment. By restoring the regenerative capacity of a patient’s own hematopoietic stem cells, the company aims to enable new approaches to extending human healthspan. To learn more, visit hexemb.io.

Role Description

We are hiring a senior scientist to perform process development for our stem cell programs as an early member of the team.This is a hands on role with real ownership. You will design and run the work at the bench, define the process, and work directly with the founders.

What you will do

• Develop, optimize, and document scalable culture processes for pluripotent stem cell derived material and primary hematopoietic cells
• Perform in process controls, critical process parameters, and release assays, and drive them from bench scale toward clinical scale
• Execute and troubleshoot at the bench, including differentiation, expansion, harvest, and formulation steps
• Design characterization and potency assays and interpret data that shapes program and regulatory decisions
• Support technology transfer to CDMO partners and contribute to CMC sections of regulatory filings
• Train and mentor junior scientists at the bench
• Work with leadership to set research priorities and scientific direction

What we are looking for

• PhD or MD PhD in stem cell biology, cell biology, bioengineering, or a related field
• 3 or more years of industry experience in cell therapy or regenerative medicine process development
• Demonstrated track record in pluripotent stem cell work through publications, patents, or comparable accomplishments
• Hands on expertise across cell culture at scale, flow cytometry, colony forming unit assays, qPCR, and standard molecular biology
• Working familiarity with cGMP concepts, in process controls, assay qualification, and documentation practices
• Genuine bench expertise, and the intent to keep doing it
• Willingness to work around the timepoint demands of primary and pluripotent cell culture, including occasional weekend or off hours work
• Track record of moving fast without losing rigor in an early stage environment where priorities shift
• Foundational role at a stage early enough that your work defines the platform and the process
• Direct collaboration with the founders and an advisory network that includes leaders in synthetic biology, drug delivery, and FDA regulatory strategy

• Competitive salary, meaningful equity, and benefits.