Research Scientist – Bioinformatics II

Planet Pharma; Foster City (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Pharma in Foster City, CA is seeking an experienced Scientist to drive end-to-end Cell Line Development. You will perform CHO cell culture, transfection, cloning, cell banking, and routine maintenance while analyzing data and troubleshooting technical challenges.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Analytical Development and Pilot Plant teams, with opportunities to apply automation and high-throughput screening to speed program timelines. Excellent communication of results is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biotechnology or related field with substantial industry experience.
• Hands-on CHO cell culture, transfection, cloning, cell banking, counting, and shake-flask work.
• Experience supporting cell line development programs in biopharma or biotech settings.

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end Cell Line Development activities for pipeline programs, including mammalian culture, transfection, cloning, screening, banking, and production.
• Independently perform lab experiments, analyze data, troubleshoot challenges, and document results promptly.
• Support automation and high-throughput tech to improve CHO generation and workflow efficiency.
• Collaborate with Cell Culture, Analytical Development, and Pilot Plant teams to meet project goals.
• Contribute to technical reports and presentations, communicating outcomes and recommendations.

Skills

CHO cell culture

Transfection

Single-cell cloning

Cell banking

Data analysis

Experimental design

Communication

Team collaboration

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology

Master’s degree in Biotechnology

Tools

Bioreactors

Automation systems

High-throughput screening

Job description

Responsibilities

• Execute end-to-end Cell Line Development (CLD) activities in support of pipeline programs, including mammalian cell culture, transfection, single-cell cloning, clone screening, cell banking, fed-batch production, and routine cell line maintenance.
• Independently perform laboratory experiments, analyze data, troubleshoot technical challenges, and document results in a timely and organized manner.
• Support and apply automation and high-throughput technologies to enhance CHO cell line generation, clone selection, and workflow efficiency.
• Collaborate closely with Cell Line Development team members and cross-functional partners, including Cell Culture, Analytical Development, and Pilot Plant teams, to achieve project objectives and timelines.
• Contribute to technical reports, presentations, and project discussions, effectively communicating experimental outcomes and recommendations.

Skills & Qualifications

• [!–StartFragment–]Bachelor’s+6 years or Master’s+4 years degree in Biotechnology, Biochemical Engineering, Biological Sciences, or a related field, with substantial industry experience in mammalian Cell Line Development.
• Strong hands-on experience in CHO cell line development, including cell culture, transfection, single-cell cloning, clone screening, cell banking, cell counting, and shake-flask operations.
• Demonstrated experience supporting cell line development programs in a biopharmaceutical or biotechnology environment; prior experience performing duties comparable to a Scientist-level role is strongly preferred.
• Experience with bench-scale bioreactors, automated liquid handling systems, and/or high-throughput screening technologies is preferred.
• Strong understanding of cell line development workflows, experimental design, data analysis, and troubleshooting.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including technical report writing and presentation of scientific data.
• Proven ability to work independently while effectively collaborating in a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities while meeting project timelines.

Pay ranges between 30-35/hr based on experience