Research Technician I/II

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 33,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Disability insurance

Life and AD&D insurance

403(b) retirement plan with matching

Job summary

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason is seeking a Research Technician I or II to lead and optimize experiments mapping antibody sequence to function. The role involves mammalian cell engineering, flow cytometry, and next-generation sequencing, with opportunities for computational biology and ML growth.

Start date anticipated November 2026, with scheduling flexibility. The successful candidate will work within a new interdisciplinary group, publish lead-author opportunities, and

Qualifications

• BS/BA in biology, bioengineering, or related field required.
• Hands-on experience in a biological research laboratory strongly preferred.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture/engineering, flow cytometry, NGS, or antibody expression is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Execute and optimize experiments; analyze data; maintain an electronic lab notebook; prepare reagents, cell lines, plasmids, and other materials.
• Collaborate with colleagues; communicate results in meetings and presentations; contribute to building a new research laboratory.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Mammalian cell engineering

Flow cytometry

Next-generation sequencing

Antibody expression

Education

BS/BA in biology, bioengineering, or related field

Job description

Overview

The Irvine Lab at Benaroya Research Institute (BRI) is seeking a highly motivated Research Technician I or II to join a new, highly interdisciplinary research group. Combining protein engineering, machine learning, and immunology, the lab builds platforms to map and predict how protein sequence and structure shape receptor engagement and the biological outcomes that follow. These platforms then enable the design of proteins that precisely direct immune responses and improve human health. A major focus is the antibody Fc domain, which controls how antibodies communicate with immune cells.

The selected candidate will take substantial ownership of projects using high-throughput mutational screening to map relationships between antibody sequence and function. The core work will involve mammalian cell engineering, flow cytometry, and next-generation sequencing. There will also be opportunities to develop skills in computational biology and machine learning. As one of the lab’s first hires, the candidate will have opportunities to serve as lead author on publications arising from their work.

The anticipated start date is November 2026, with flexibility based on candidate availability. Informal inquiries may be directed to Edward Irvine at [e-mail].

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include executing and optimizing experiments, analyzing data, maintaining a detailed electronic laboratory notebook, and preparing and maintaining reagents, cell lines, plasmids, and other experimental materials. The Research Technician will be expected to work collaboratively with colleagues, communicate results during meetings and presentations, and contribute to the development of a new research laboratory.

Qualifications

A BS/BA in biology, bioengineering, or a related field is required, along with hands-on experience in a biological research laboratory. The ideal candidate will have strong experimental fundamentals and be excited to learn new technologies and take ownership of ambitious research projects. Experience with mammalian cell culture, mammalian cell engineering, flow cytometry, next-generation sequencing, and/or antibody expression is advantageous but not required. Candidates should have strong attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to execute complex experimental workflows independently. Candidates will be considered at the Research Technician I or II level depending on experience and qualifications.

Compensation

Research Technician I:$24.05 to $34.15 per hour

Research Technician II:$27.74 to $40.78 per hour

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts: health care, dependent care, commuter
• Short and long-term disability
• Life and AD&D insurance
• 403(b) retirement plan with matching funds after one year of employment
• 13 holidays, 3 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of sick leave per year
• Employee assistance program
• Educational assistance program
• Subsidized ORCA pass
• Wellness benefits
• Voluntary benefits

About Us

Benaroya Research Institute (BRI)has a bold mission: to advance the science to predict, prevent, reverse and cureimmune system diseases, fromautoimmune diseasetocancertoasthmaandallergies. We create detailed pictures of the immune system in health and disease, aiming to understand how disorders start and how to rebalance the immune system back to health. Equipped with innovative tools and robustbiorepositories, our team chips away at the biggest mysteries behind these conditions to work toward our vision of a healthy immune system for everyone.BRI is a nonprofit research institute based in Seattle and affiliated with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.We collaborate with clinicians and patients to accelerate the path from innovative lab discoveries to life-changing patient care.

At BRI, each individual is valued as an important contributor to our vision and mission. Consider making a difference by joining our team. Because together, we arepowering possibility.To learn more, visitbenaroyaresearch.organd connect with us onLinkedIn,Bluesky,Instagram,Threads,FacebookandYouTube.Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.

If you need an accommodation or assistance completing the online application, please contact Human Resources at 206-342-6547 or [e-mail] contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.