Research Associate - Automation & High Throughput Screening

merge.io; California; On-site; USD 65,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Merge Labs seeks a Research Associate for our HTS team in California. You will develop and optimize plate-based assays and translate them into automated workflows, training users and transferring methods for routine execution.

You will operate and troubleshoot instruments, collect data, and maintain records, contributing to robust, scalable workflows in a fast-paced research environment.

Qualifications

• BS, BA, or MS in Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Bioengineering, or related field.
• Hands-on assay development and HTS experience; scale-up and validation.
• Experience with lab automation and troubleshooting of workflows.
• Strong documentation and collaboration across scientific and engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize plate-based assays across molecular and cell biology, focusing on reproducibility and scalability.
• Translate validated assays into automated workflows; establish SOPs and train users.
• Identify sources of variability and work with scientists to improve assay performance.
• Prepare samples, reagents, and cell cultures; execute experiments with accuracy.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot lab instruments.
• Collect and QC experimental data; maintain records and inventory in digital systems.
• Maintain a safe, organized laboratory environment.

Skills

Assay development

High-throughput screening

Lab automation

Documentation

Collaboration

Education

BS/BA/MS in Biology or related field

Tools

Hamilton

Tecan

Opentrons

LIMS

ELN

Job description

Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency and experience. We’re pursuing this goal by developing fundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.

About the Team

The HTS team builds the shared infrastructure that multiplies the scale and precision of every Merge experiment. We are building this capability from the ground up: selecting instruments, translating manual assays into standardized automated workflows, and transferring those workflows to the teams that run them every day. It's an early, hands-on team, and the work spans bench science, instrument integration, and process design.

About the Role

We are seeking a Research Associate to join our HTS team and take shared ownership of our automated workflows: developing and executing assays at the bench, operating and improving methods on our liquid-handling platform, training users, troubleshooting equipment, and removing the next bottleneck. This is a good fit for someone who is meticulous at the bench, familiar with automation, and energized by building something new rather than inheriting a mature process.

In this role, you will:

• Develop and optimize plate-based assays across molecular biology and cell biology, with a focus on reproducibility and scalability.
• Translate validated assays into automated workflows, and partner with program teams to establish SOPs, train users, and transfer methods for routine execution.
• Identify sources of experimental variability and work with scientists to improve assay performance and robustness.
• Prepare samples, reagents, and cell cultures, and execute experiments with accuracy and consistency.
• Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory instruments.
• Collect, organize, and perform initial quality control on experimental data, and maintain detailed records, sample metadata, and inventory in digital laboratory systems.
• Help maintain a safe, organized, and efficient laboratory environment.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• A BS, BA, or MS in Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Bioengineering, or a related field.
• Strong hands-on experience in assay development and high-throughput screening, including designing, optimizing, and validating plate-based assays and executing them at scale.
• Depth in one or more of the following areas:
  • AAV production and analytics: mammalian cell transfection, viral purification, and qPCR-based titering.
  • Cell biology: cell culture, transfection or transduction, and plate-based assessment of cell viability or function.
  • Molecular biology: PCR/qPCR assay development, nucleic-acid preparation and quantification, or sequencing library preparation.
• Experience with laboratory automation and a systematic approach to troubleshooting and improving experimental workflows.
• Strong written documentation and communication skills, and a collaborative mindset for working across scientific and engineering disciplines.

Nice to have:

• Experience culturing and handling primary or iPSC-derived neurons, including plate-based assays of neuronal viability or function.
• Hands-on experience with Hamilton, Tecan, Opentrons or other liquid handlers.
• Familiarity with Python, R, or another scripting or data-analysis language.
• Experience with LIMS, ELNs, sample-tracking systems, or automated data pipelines.

For more information about hiring at Merge, please visit our Hiring FAQ https://app.notion.com/p/Hiring-FAQ-34807970692180e88dd6d701b83cbf7b?source=copy_link

Merge Labs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family status, ancestry, citizenship, U.S. military (state and federal) and veteran status, or any other legally protected status. It is our intention that all applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job related factors. We are an equal opportunity employer.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made by emailing [e-mail].