Scientist Cell and Molecular Biology

The Fountain Group; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 85,411 - 92,299; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in the biotechnology sector is seeking a skilled scientist to join their team. This exciting role involves designing and performing critical assays to evaluate mRNA delivery and protein expression in mammalian cells. You will work with advanced techniques in cell culture and flow cytometry while maintaining meticulous records and contributing to innovative projects. This is a fantastic opportunity to engage in high-throughput workflows and collaborate with a talented team in a dynamic environment. If you have a passion for science and a desire to drive impactful research, this position is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Master's or Bachelor's degree with relevant industry experience required.
• Expertise in mammalian cell culture and flow cytometry is essential.

Responsibilities

• Design and perform assays to assess mRNA delivery and protein expression.
• Maintain records in an electronic lab notebook and draft SOPs.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Multi-color flow cytometry

Immunological assays

Liquid handling systems

Data analysis tools

Statistical tools (Python, R)

Molecular biology techniques

Education

Master's degree with 1-3 years of experience

Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of experience

Tools

FlowJo

GraphPad Prism

Job description

This range is provided by The Fountain Group. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$62.00/hr - $67.00/hr

Details:

• Pay for this position is 62.00 to 67.00 hourly depending on experience.
• This position is a one-year contract with the possibility of extension or conversion to permanent.
• Location: South San Francisco, CA. Local candidates only.

Qualifications:

• Master's degree with 1-3 years of industry experience, OR Bachelor's degree with 3+ years of industry experience.
• Expertise in mammalian cell culture (suspension and adherent cell lines, primary T cells preferred) and multi-color flow cytometry (panel design, acquisition, and analysis using FlowJo) is required.
• Hands-on experience with immunological assays (e.g., ELISA, Luminex, cytotoxicity) is highly desirable.
• Experience with semi-automated liquid handling systems for high-throughput workflows is highly preferred.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools (e.g., GraphPad Prism, FlowJo) is required; working knowledge with statistical and bioinformatics tools (python, R, etc.) is a plus.
• Basic understanding of immunology, cancer biology, or cell therapy applications is preferred; prior experience in genetic medicine, CAR-T cell therapy, or RNA therapeutics is a strong plus.
• Basic knowledge of nucleic acid characterization (e.g., gel electrophoresis, qPCR), familiarity with molecular biology techniques, including cloning (e.g., Gibson assembly, PCR) and mRNA IVT (e.g., capping, purification), is a strong plus.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and perform plate-based and cell-based assays (multi-color flow cytometry, Western blot, ELISA, etc.) to assess mRNA delivery and protein expression in mammalian cells using LNP systems.
• Design and perform high-throughput expression and functional screen/characterization assays for Client protein/mRNA candidates, using semi-automated instruments.
• Maintain meticulous records in an electronic lab notebook (ELN), draft standard operating procedures (SOPs), and present results at team meetings.
• Independently plan, execute, and interpret experiments, delivering data-driven insights aligned with project timelines and goals.
• Conduct molecular biology tasks, including cloning (e.g., PCR, golden gate, Gibson reactions, etc.), and optimize mRNA IVT protocols for yield and quality.

Seniority level

Mid-Senior level

Employment type

Contract

Job function

Science and Research

Industries

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Biotechnology Research