Research Associate - III

Spectraforce Technologies; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Spectraforce Technologies in Foster City, CA is seeking a Pathobiology Contractor to support drug discovery within the Pathobiology Group. The role emphasizes antibody reagent optimization for IHC/CISH and development of tissue-based assays in oncology, fibrosis, and inflammation.

The successful candidate will work cross-functionally, manage multiple projects, and communicate findings to senior staff while leveraging experience in IHC, tissue handling, and data management under tight timelines.

Qualifications

• BS degree with 8+ years of relevant experience or MS degree with 6+ years in drug discovery/biomarker biology.
• IHC method-development protocols, tissue handling, and data entry proficiency required.
• Experience in oncology, fibrosis, virology, or inflammation is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Optimize and/or validate antibody reagents for IHC and CISH.
• Develop tissue-based assays and identify process improvements in IHC.
• Plan, execute, and troubleshoot experiments supporting drug candidate projects.
• Present findings to senior staff and collaborate cross-functionally to advance targets.

Skills

IHC method development

Tissue handling

Image scanning

Data entry

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

BS degree

MS degree

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job Title: Pathobiology Contractor

Location: Foster City, CA 94404

Duration: 18+ Months (Possibility of extension depending upon business requirements and performance)

Schedule: M-F 9:00-17:00

Job Description

• The client is seeking a highly motivated, interactive, and creative individual to support drug discovery and development within Research.
• The successful candidate will be part of the Pathobiology Group which provides laboratory support throughout organization.
• He/she will work closely with internal organization groups as well as external collaborators to identify and validate novel drug targets in the areas of oncology, fibrosis, virology, and inflammation.
• Tissue-based endpoints will be used to investigate the efficacy and method of action and potential therapeutic targets.
• The successful candidate must be self-motivated and detail-oriented, exhibit excellent organizational and communication skills, demonstrate the ability to manage multiple priorities and work under tight timelines, thrive with a high degree of responsibility, and a proficient team-player.
• Specific duties will include optimization and/or validation of antibody reagents for IHC and CISH.
• He/she will have extensive experience in IHC, including method development, and will help with identification and implementation of process improvements in IHC and other histological techniques.
• He/she will work closely with internal organization groups as well as external collaborators to identify and validate novel drug targets in the areas of oncology, fibrosis, virology, and inflammation. He/she will be responsible for development of tissue-based assays and will have a background in biology or a related discipline and laboratory experience in human and animal tissue preparation and image scanning.
• Experience with multiplex IHC assays is a plus, but not necessary.
• Development of infrastructure, tissue collections, technology and novel methodology will be implemented as needed through a combination of in-house efforts and the use of relevant CROs or other external expertise.
• The successful candidate must be able to independently plan, execute, and troubleshoot decisional experiments that support the initiation and/or advancement of drug candidate projects.
• The candidate will work cross-functionally within the organization to achieve goals, present research findings and recommendations to senior staff, and identify new technologies that may increase throughput or enhance our understanding of disease mechanisms.

Education Level

• Applicants should have a BS degree and 8+ years of relevant experience or an MS degree with 6+ years of experience.

Experience

• The candidate's work history should demonstrate the direct participation in drug discovery and target identification/validation in oncology, fibrosis, inflammation, and virology research by IHC and other histological techniques.
• Necessary technical skills include IHC method-development protocols, tissue handling, and organized data entry.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office is required.
• Applicants should be able to troubleshoot independently, use both strategic and tactical thinking effectively, and show curiosity-driven engagement in scientific problems.
• The successful candidate needs to be able to manage more than one project at any given time, to work successfully in a cross-functional and highly collaborative team environment, and to communicate clearly to a variety of audiences in both speech and writing.