Research Associate, Purification Process Development (Contractor)

BioSpace; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Visterra seeks a Research Associate Contractor for Purification Process Development in its Waltham, MA offices. The role focuses on hands-on downstream purification activities, contributing to development and tech transfer, and collaborating with Analytical Development, Cell Culture, QA and external CMOs.

Expect ~80% lab time planning and executing experiments, presenting data in meetings, and maintaining equipment. This is a fixed-contract position in a biotech setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant science field or Master’s with 0–2 years industry experience.
• Experience developing and supporting liquid chromatography purification unit operations.
• Ability to communicate across diverse audiences.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines and prioritize tasks.

Responsibilities

• Execute purification experiments in a lab to support development and tech transfer.
• Plan and perform experiments to evaluate developability of candidate therapeutics.
• Present work at department meetings and contribute as a process lead.
• Troubleshoot and maintain laboratory equipment.
• Document results in notebooks and transfer documents; present data at meetings.
• Keep up-to-date with new technologies to improve capabilities.

Skills

Chromatography knowledge

Independent worker

Effective communication

Critical thinking

Education

Bachelor's in chemical engineering / biotechnology / biochemistry / chemistry / biology

Master’s with 0-2 years relevant experience

Tools

AKTA chromatography controllers

Job description

The Opportunity

The Research Associate Contractor in Purification Process Development will be responsible for executing downstream purification activities at Visterra. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Purification, the Associate is responsible for execution of experiments in the lab to support progress of Visterra molecules through development. The Associate will work closely with internal partners in Analytical Development, Cell Culture, and Quality Assurance as well as with external partners at contract manufacturing sites. The Associate will work closely with the research team to plan and execute lab-based experiments for assessing the developability of candidate molecules and should expect to be in the lab roughly 80% of the time.

This is a contract position located at Visterra's offices in Waltham, MA.

Responsibilities

• Executing experiments in Visterra's state-of-the-art purification lab to generate material for internal customers, support process development and tech transfer, and to develop an understanding of the developability of candidate therapeutics.
• Planning and executing experiments designed to evaluate the developability of candidate protein therapeutics.
• Presenting work at department and cross functional meetings and contributing as a process lead in drug development team meetings.
• Troubleshooting and maintaining laboratory equipment.
• Documenting experimental results in lab notebooks, tech transfer documents, and technical reports and presenting data at meetings.
• Keeping current with new technologies to improve process development capabilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Arts/Sciences in chemical engineering, biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, biology or related discipline or master’s degree with 0-2 years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience in developing and supporting liquid chromatography purification unit operations across modality and scale, including operation of AKTA chromatography controllers.
• The ability to think critically and communicate effectively across a broad spectrum of audiences both internal and external.
• An ability to work independently, meet deadlines and prioritize work effectively.

About Visterra

Visterra is a biotechnology company focused on discovery, pre-clinical research and clinical trial material manufacturing of biologic therapeutic candidates. We are committed to developing innovative protein-based therapies for the treatment of patients with kidney, immune-mediated and other hard-to-treat diseases. We have a robust pipeline of discovery and pre-clinical-stage programs. Several Visterra-originated assets are being studied in clinical trials by our affiliates or partners and one asset, VIS649 (sibeprenlimab), has received FDA approval.

Visterra is an indirect wholly-owned, independent operating subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., a global pharmaceutical and nutraceutical company headquartered in Japan. As a member of the Otsuka family of companies, we are uniquely positioned as a small, nimble and innovative organization where individuals and teams are empowered to make big impacts - while benefiting from the support, strength, stability and long-term perspective of a 100-year-old global company. We have approximately 100 employees and are located in Waltham, Massachusetts. For more information, please visit visterrainc.com.

Salary range: $37.50 - $46.80 Hourly

Visterra provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.