Scientist

Portal; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site parking

Job summary

Portal Biotechnologies is seeking an innovative scientist with an engineering and cell biology background to lead design and validation of new prototypes and perform biological testing to optimize performance. You will collaborate with external biopharma and academic partners and contribute to early-stage research in a fast-paced environment.

The role emphasizes prototyping, cell culture work, and coordination with vendors and collaborators.

Qualifications

• PhD in bioengineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, cell biology, biochemistry, or a related field with 0–2 years of experience; or MS with 3–5 years of experience.
• Experience in CAD, 3D printing, microfluidic prototyping and other fluidics.
• Familiarity with cell biology, including metabolic pathways, immunology, etc.
• Experience with primary cell culture, assay development, qPCR, multicolor flow cytometry.
• Clear and effective communicator with strong interpersonal, organizational, and record-keeping skills.
• Experience with microarray and/or RNAseq a plus.
• Knowledge of genome engineering, CRISPR a plus.

Responsibilities

• Design and build prototypes that enable various implementations of the technology for small scale research, high throughput screening and clinical use
• Design and test modification strategies in various cell types including iPSCs, primary cells, and immune cells
• Work cross-functionally with the team to optimize ideal delivery strategies
• Determine optimal sourcing of molecular biology materials
• Closely coordinate with vendors to establish robust supply
• Coordinate and serve as point-of-contact for studies and applications with external collaborators & clients

Skills

CAD

3D printing

microfluidics

cell biology

qPCR

flow cytometry

RNAseq

CRISPR

communication

cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD in bioengineering/related field

MS in bioengineering/related field

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Portal Biotechnologies is a rapidly scaling cell-engineering platform company operating across three high-value business lines (biopharma R&D screening, next-generation cell therapy manufacturing, and AI training data generation), addressing markets totaling $100B+. Since launching its first product in 2024, Portal has built a network of 100+ active customers, including the top 10 global pharmaceutical companies and leading academic hospitals and cancer centers worldwide.

Backed by $24M in venture funding and an $8M DARPA contract, Portal’s proprietary mechanoporation technology enables efficient multiplex delivery of diverse cargos such as RNA, proteins, small molecules, and gene-editing tools without compromising cell function. The approach is simple and scalable, supporting applications from high-throughput drug screening to clinical-scale manufacturing, and it works both as a stand-alone system and as an integrated component in third-party platforms.

In biopharma R&D, Portal’s products enable novel screening assays by delivering otherwise cell-impermeable probes and candidate molecules directly into live cells, unlocking intracellular access that standard methods cannot provide. In cell therapy, Portal’s GMP-integrated consumables and a DARPA-funded portable device (launching 2027) are aimed at making engineered cell therapies as accessible and ubiquitous as an infusion pump. In AI training data, Portal generates high-value, multiparametric datasets from primary cells, producing biologically relevant training data that current cell line-based methods cannot replicate.

With a leadership team bringing decades of experience in biotech operations and clinical cell therapy development, Portal is positioned to become the foundational platform for next-generation cell engineering, drug discovery, and biological AI data generation.

The Role:

As we grow our team, we are seeking an innovative and motivated scientist with an engineering and cell biology background to join our group in developing next generations of our platform technology. This scientist will lead design and validation of new prototypes as well as biological testing to optimize performance. This position will also collaborate with external biopharma and academic partners who may be pioneering users of the Portal technology. The successful candidate has a passion for early-stage research and thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

How you'll make an impact:

• Design and build prototypes that enable various implementations of the technology for small scale research, high throughput screening and clinical use
• Design and test modification strategies in various cell types including iPSCs, primary cells, and immune cells
• Work cross-functionally with the team to optimize ideal delivery strategies
• Determine optimal sourcing of molecular biology materials
• Closely coordinate with vendors to establish robust supply
• Coordinate and serve as point-of-contact for studies and applications with external collaborators & clients
• PhD in bioengineering, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, cell biology, biochemistry, or related field with 0-2 years experience; or MS in bioengineering or related field with 3-5 years experience
• Experience in CAD, 3D printing, microfluidic prototyping and other fluidics
• Familiarity with cell biology, including metabolic pathways, immunology, etc.
• Experience with primary cell culture, assay development, qPCR, multicolor flow cytometry
• Clear and effective communicator with strong interpersonal, organizational, and record-keeping skills
• Experience with microarray and/or RNAseq a plus
• Knowledge of genome engineering, CRISPR a plus

Please note:

Portal has two locations, one in the Boston area and one in San Carlos, CA. This position is in San Carlos. On-site parking is available and it's a 15 minute walk from the Caltrain station.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and to provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex or gender identity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, we comply with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.