Research Associate, Analytical

Aether; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Aether Biomachines in California seeks an Analytical Research Associate to support polymer development with hands-on analytical testing and GPC operation. You will run polymer samples, maintain instruments, and ensure high-quality, reproducible data in a fast-moving startup setting.

You will collaborate with an analytical scientist and other materials team members, with growth toward method development and expanded analytical scope. On-site at our South San Francisco facility.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience running samples on a SEC/GPC or similar LC system.
• Strong fundamentals in chromatography and laboratory best practices.
• Experience working with polymers (synthetic and/or biopolymers).
• High attention to detail and commitment to data quality.
• Comfort working independently while collaborating with others.
• Ability to recognize problematic data or samples and speak up.
• Safe lab practices, including handling chemicals, solvents, and glassware.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and run polymer samples on GPC systems, following established methods and SOPs
• Track method performance to ensure data quality, reproducibility, and consistency over time
• Perform routine instrument maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting, escalating issues as needed
• Identify clearly problematic or compromised data and communicate issues proactively
• Collaborate closely with an analytical scientist on scheduling, priorities, and technical problem-solving
• Support materials scientists and engineers by running analytical tests for ongoing experiments
• Maintain accurate records of experiments, maintenance, and calibrations
• Contribute to writing or updating SOPs and best practices as the lab and team evolve
• Over time, take on additional ownership such as consumables management, method improvements, or expanded analytical scope

Skills

GPC/LC

Chromatography

Polymers

Attention to detail

Independent work

Data quality

Safety

Job description

About The Company

Aether Biomachines is a deep tech company building at the intersection of biology, machine learning and materials science. Our platform combines high-throughput biological screening with advanced materials development to get novel materials from lab discovery to real-world production faster than traditional R&D allows. We're starting in additive manufacturing and expanding into high-performance polymers. We operate out of Menlo Park and South San Francisco.

About The Team

The Materials team sits at the center of that bridge: translating what the biology platform discovers into materials that actually ship. It's a small, hands-on group, which means you\'ll be doing bench work and first-principles thinking in the same week. Everyone is close to the science.

About The Role

We’re looking for an Analytical Research Associate to support our materials and product development efforts through hands-on analytical testing, with a primary focus on gel permeation chromatography (GPC). This is an early career, lab-intensive role ideal for someone who enjoys running samples, maintaining instruments, and ensuring high-quality, reproducible data in a fast-moving research environment.

In this role, you’ll spend the majority of your time preparing and running polymer samples on our GPC systems, working closely with an analytical scientist and collaborating with scientists across the materials team. You’ll also play an important role in instrument maintenance, calibration, troubleshooting, and documentation - helping ensure our analytical methods perform consistently and reliably.

While this role is primarily execution-focused, it offers room to grow over time into deeper analytical ownership, including method development and expanded responsibility across chromatography-based techniques. This role is onsite at our South San Francisco facility.

About You

You’re someone who enjoys being in the lab, takes pride in producing reliable data, and thrives in a small, highly technical startup environment. You balance attention to detail with flexibility and creativity, communicate clearly with teammates, and aren’t afraid to flag issues early when something doesn’t look right.

What You’ll Do

• Prepare and run polymer samples on GPC systems, following established methods and SOPs
• Track method performance to ensure data quality, reproducibility, and consistency over time
• Perform routine instrument maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting, escalating issues as needed
• Identify clearly problematic or compromised data and communicate issues proactively
• Collaborate closely with an analytical scientist on scheduling, priorities, and technical problem-solving
• Support materials scientists and engineers by running analytical tests for ongoing experiments
• Maintain accurate records of experiments, maintenance, and calibrations
• Contribute to writing or updating SOPs and best practices as the lab and team evolve
• Over time, take on additional ownership such as consumables management, method improvements, or expanded analytical scope

What We’re Looking For

Required / Core Skills

• Hands-on experience running samples on a SEC/GPC or similar LC system (academic or industry)
• Strong fundamentals in chromatography and laboratory best practices
• Experience working with polymers (synthetic and/or biopolymers)
• High attention to detail and commitment to data quality
• Comfort working independently while collaborating closely with others
• Ability to recognize when data or samples are clearly problematic and speak up
• Safe lab practices, including handling chemicals, solvents, and glassware

Nice to Have

• Industry experience (1-3 years preferred, but not required)
• Exposure to instrument calibration, maintenance, or troubleshooting
• Experience with multiple analytical techniques beyond GPC
• Familiarity with rheology or interest in learning additional techniques
• Experience contributing to SOPs or method documentation

Growth & Development

This role is designed to grow with the right person. As our analytical needs expand, strong performers may take on:

• Greater ownership of GPC methods and performance tracking
• Involvement in method development and optimization
• Broader analytical responsibilities across chromatography-based techniques
• A longer-term path toward expanded scientific or technical roles, aligned with individual interests

Note

Aether Biomachines is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you’re excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply.

The pay range for this role is $85,000 - $110,000 per year + equity, with final compensation based on skills and experience. Employment at Aether is at-will, and reasonable accommodations are available upon request. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. At this time, Aether is not sponsoring visas for this position.