Research Associate / Senior Research Associate, Nucleic Acids

Violet Research Institute; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Violet Research Institute in Berkeley is seeking a hands-on Research Associate to Senior Research Associate to support molecular biology and assay development for an active therapeutic program. You will purify nucleic acids, perform qPCR and ddPCR, and work with ASOs in a fast-paced, on-site lab.

The role involves cell culture, imaging readouts, and contributing to assay scale-up while maintaining detailed records and compliance with QC standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, or related life science field.
• 2–4 years hands-on molecular biology and assay development experience.
• Proven documentation, data analysis, and quality practices.

Responsibilities

• Extract and purify nucleic acids (RNA/DNA) from cells and tissues using standard kits.
• Process human specimens (blood, CSF) in a BSC‑2 environment.
• Design, run, and analyze qPCR assays on QuantStudio 5 with TaqMan probes.
• Perform ddPCR on Bio-Rad QX600 with automated droplet generator.
• Quantify antisense oligonucleotide knockdown against target transcripts.
• Maintain rigorous experimental records, QC, and data organization.
• Assist with assay scale-up, optimization, and process refinement.
• Assist with laboratory upkeep (inventory and supplies).
• Support imaging and microscopy-based readouts as needed.
• Adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced, on-site setting.

Skills

Nucleic acid purification

qPCR

ddPCR

Cell culture

NGS experience

Data analysis

Documentation

Lab automation

Lab safety

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in molecular biology or related life science

Tools

Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5

Bio-Rad QX600

TaqMan probes

Qiagen purification kits

BSC-2 biosafety cabinet

LIMS

GraphPad Prism

Job description

About Violet Research Institute

Violet Research Institute (VRI) is building the future of personalized medicine for patients with genetic diseases. We're at the frontier of a new era in medicine — one where treatments can be designed for individual patients based on their unique biology. Recent breakthroughs in science, engineering, and regulatory pathways have made this possible, but much of this work remains nascent and distributed across disparate efforts globally. We're unifying, refining, and scaling these efforts into a cohesive platform. For each patient we serve, we deeply understand their biology, then design and manufacture a targeted treatment that can be delivered in months instead of years.

We combine the urgency and execution mindset of a startup with the mission-driven openness of a nonprofit, allowing us to collaborate broadly and move quickly on behalf of the patients we serve. We've brought together leading researchers, engineers, and organizations across omics, therapeutic design, manufacturing, clinical care, and AI to move from insight to action as quickly as possible.

VRI is founded by the family of our first patient, Violet, and is led by Michael Buckley, Siranush Babakhanova and Steve Turner. Our team is deeply cross-disciplinary and first-principles driven. We value builders, experts, and generalists who are excited to work across domains, challenge conventional approaches, and increase access to personalized medicine.

What We're Looking For

We are hiring a hands‑on Research Associate to Senior Research Associate to support molecular biology and assay development for an active therapeutic program. The primary work centers on nucleic acid purification and quantitative PCR (qPCR and digital droplet PCR) used to measure the knockdown efficiency of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) against a disease‑relevant target. The role also supports cell culture and stem cell differentiation work as needed.

This is an excellent set of hands with a strong track record for clean, reproducible bench work. It is a demanding, fast‑paced environment with shifting priorities and frequent new asks, and it offers meaningful contribution to patient‑directed science and broad exposure to a growing organization.

What You'll Own

• Extract and purify nucleic acids (RNA and DNA) from cell and tissue samples using standard kits (e.g., Qiagen) and established purification workflows.
• Process human specimens (blood or blood products, CSF, etc) and work safely in a BSC-2 environment.
• Design, run, and analyze qPCR assays on the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 using TaqMan probes and master mix.
• Perform digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) on the Bio-Rad QX600 with the automated droplet generator.
• Quantify ASO knockdown efficiency against target transcripts and report results with clear, well‑documented data.
• Maintain rigorous experimental records, assay QC, and data organization to support a rapidly iterating program.
• Contribute to assay scale‑up, optimization, and process refinement as capabilities expand.
• Assist with laboratory upkeep such as inventory and supplies stocking.
• Support imaging and microscopy‑based readouts on a secondary basis.
• Adapt to changing priorities in a fast‑paced, on‑site setting.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, or a related life science field.
• 2 to 4 years of hands‑on laboratory experience in molecular biology and assay development.
• Demonstrated proficiency in nucleic acid purification (RNA and/or DNA) and/or cell harvesting.
• Strong documentation, data analysis, and quality practices, with a proven contamination‑control track record.
• Hands‑on library preparation and NGS experience.
• Ability to work full‑time on‑site and thrive in a flexible, high‑pace environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with TaqMan‑based qPCR on QuantStudio platforms and Bio-Rad ddPCR (QX600 or comparable).
• Experience with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or other nucleic acid therapeutics.
• Prior industry experience at organizations such as BioMarin, Scribe, Ultragenyx, or similar, or a competitive industry internship (e.g., Genentech).
• Experience with human specimens (i.e. blood or blood products, urine, CSF) and working in a BSC-2 environment.
• Experience with freezer management systems or LIMS.
• Experience with GraphPad Prism or other data analysis and visualization software.
• Execute independently from loosely specified tasks
• Ask for help only when truly blocked, communicating clearly what’s needed
• Thrive in early‑stage, ambiguous, high‑pace environments
• Mission‑driven with genuine care for patient impact