Research Associate

Cantos Ventures; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Vitra Labs in South San Francisco is seeking a Research Associate in Reproductive Biology for a full-time, in-person role. You will work on mouse ovaries, isolate oocytes, and perform cryopreservation while supporting in vivo mouse work and lab operations.

The ideal candidate has a life sciences background, hands-on cell culture experience, and strong documentation skills to drive high-quality data generation in a fast-paced startup setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Life Sciences with 0–1 year experience in biology.
• Proficiency in aseptic cell culture techniques.
• Prior experience with mouse handling and tissue dissection.
• Strong record-keeping and attention to detail, with the ability to follow protocols accurately.
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills to function in a close-knit research group.

Responsibilities

• Dissect mouse ovaries and isolate oocytes from mouse and porcine tissues.
• Manipulate isolated oocytes under a dissecting microscope.
• Routinely prepare multi-component culture media with a solid grasp of calculations and techniques involved.
• Cryopreservation of mammalian cells and tissue.
• Support in vivo mouse work through colony maintenance, breeding, and genotyping.
• Manage lab supplies and inventory, support general lab operations, and assist in experimental setup and execution.
• Maintain flexibility to work occasional limited weekend hours, as needed.
• Perform brightfield and fluorescence imaging.

Skills

Aseptic cell culture

Mouse handling

Tissue dissection

Data recording & protocol adherence

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences

Tools

PCR

qPCR

Cryopreservation equipment

Dissection microscope

Job description

Research Associate - Reproductive Biology

Full-Time | In-person, South San Francisco | $80,000-$100,000 + equity

Vitra Labs is focused on transforming the paradigm for in vitro fertilization, using insights from reproductive biology to induce oocyte maturation in vitro. We are seeking a skilled Research Associate with expertise in cell biology to join our growing preclinical team and play a vital role in driving our discovery efforts. This is a hands-on, bench-focused role which will generate the high quality data our programs rely on to progress. The ideal candidate will be flexible, excited to learn new techniques and science, and thrive while collaborating with others in a fast-paced startup environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Dissect mouse ovaries and isolate oocytes from mouse and porcine tissues
• Manipulate isolated oocytes under a dissecting microscope.
• Routinely prepare multi-component culture media with a solid grasp of calculations and techniques involved
• Cryopreservation of mammalian cells and tissue
• Support in vivo mouse work through colony maintenance, breeding, and genotyping
• Manage lab supplies and inventory, support general lab operations, and assist in experimental setup and execution
• Maintain flexibility to work occasional limited weekend hours, as needed
• Perform brightfield and fluorescence imaging

Required Skills, Experience and Education:

• Bachelors degree in Life Sciences field (i.e. Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Physiology) with 0-1 year of experience in a biology-related field
• Proficiency in aseptic cell culture techniques
• Prior experience with mouse handling and tissue dissection
• Strong record-keeping and attention to detail, with the ability to follow protocols accurately and reproducibly
• Strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills to function in a close-knit research group

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in mouse breeding and colony maintenance
• Familiarity with basic microscopy (brightfield and/or fluorescence)
• Experience with cryopreservation techniques, including the use of freezing straws
• Strong cell biology background; knowledge of ovarian biology, hormone signaling, or embryology a plus
• Familiarity with molecular biology techniques such as PCR, qPCR
• Data analysis or computational experience (Prism, Excel, R, coding, etc.)
• Prior lab manager experience