Scientist - II

AllSTEM Connections; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

AllSTEM Connections in Cambridge, MA is seeking a bench scientist for a 12-month contractor role in retinal and vascular biology. The candidate will perform complex in vitro assays, culture primary and immortalized cells, and work on endothelial biology to support therapeutic target discovery.

The role involves assay development, data analysis, collaboration with Merck teams, accurate ELN records, and presenting results to project teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years in industry with in vitro assay development.
• Experience with endothelial cells and retinal biology.
• Strong experimental design and data interpretation.
• Ability to communicate findings to project teams.

Responsibilities

• Perform complex in vitro assays to evaluate endothelial biology and barrier function.
• Culture and maintain primary and immortalized cells for assays.
• Test compounds and characterize pharmacological activity.
• Analyze and present experimental data to project teams.
• Develop and optimize vascular integrity assays.
• Participate in scientific discussions on retinal disease targets.
• Maintain detailed ELN records and adhere to safety practices.

Skills

Cell culture

Endothelial biology

In vitro assays

Data analysis

ELN/PRISM

Retinal endothelial cells

Team collaboration

Record keeping

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biological Sciences

Tools

ELN

PRISM

Job description

CONTRACTOR POSITION (ONE YEAR) -RETINAL AND VASCULAR BIOLOGYJOB DESCRIPTION The Retinal and Vascular Biology group is seeking a motivated bench scientist with strong experimental research experience. This one-year contractor position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of therapeutics for retinal diseases while working closely with multidisciplinary teams across MRL Cambridge, MRL South San Francisco, and the broader Merck research network. The successful candidate will be an experienced and motivated bench scientist with extensive industry experience in in vitro biochemical and cell-based assay development and execution.

Responsibilities

• Perform highly complex in vitro assays to evaluate endothelial biology, including barrier function, transport, angiogenesis, differentiation, and specialization.
• Culture and maintain primary and immortalized cells used in in vitro assays.
• Routinely test compounds represent diverse mechanisms of action and characterize their pharmacological activity.
• Analyze, interpret, and present experimental data to project teams.
• Optimize and develop in vitro vascular integrity assays.
• Participate in team meetings and scientific discussions related to retinal disease and therapeutic target discovery.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records in electronic laboratory notebooks and adhere to safe laboratory practices.

Qualifications

• EDUCATION MINIMUM REQUIREMENT
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biological Sciences
• A minimum of 5 years of industry experience in in vitro biochemical and cell-based assay development and execution, including compound handling and screening workflows.

Required Skills

• Strong hands-on laboratory experience in cell culture and cellular biology techniques.
• Industry experience in the development and execution of in vitro assays to support compound screening, validation, optimization, data analysis, and interpretation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong ability to analyze data and communicate scientific findings effectively.
• High level of motivation, curiosity, and passion for scientific research.
• Primary Retinal endothelial cells as a previous experience is must have.
• Strong hands-on experience with:
• Mammalian cell culture
• Primary and immortalized cell culture
• Primary endothelial cell culture
• Retinal epithelial cell culture
• Cellular biology techniques
• Assay development, optimization, and validation
• High-throughput or medium-throughput screening
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN), PRISM

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with retinal biology, vascular biology, and inflammation.
• Experience with primary endothelial or retinal epithelial cell culture.