Scientist, Molecular Biology

Ansa Biotechnologies, Inc.; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity

Health benefits

Professional development

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Ansa Biotechnologies, Inc. is seeking a Scientist to advance research and process development for next-generation DNA manufacturing.

The role focuses on replacing conventional cloning with faster, scalable enzymatic DNA synthesis, requiring deep molecular biology expertise and hands-on execution in a fast-paced environment. You will design experiments, optimize workflows, and document results while collaborating with teams across biology and manufacturing to deliver robust, scalable plasmid

Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or equivalent.
• 5+ years experience with nucleic acid biochemistry/chemical biology
• Strong foundational skills in DNA cloning, manipulation, and analysis
• Deep knowledge of enzyme assay development and nucleic acid biochemistry
• Great analytical skills and a logical approach to problem solving
• Ability to learn new technical areas quickly and thrive in a multidisciplinary environment
• Strong interpersonal, verbal communication, and presentation skills
• Meticulous attention to detail in experimental execution and documentation
• A proactive, can-do attitude. You're ready to jump in and execute wherever the work takes you, adapting quickly as priorities shift
• Ability to learn new techniques and concepts quickly

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and analyze molecular biology experiments, working collaboratively with other scientists to support new product development and process optimization
• Perform DNA cloning and manipulation (PCR, restriction digestion, ligation, rolling-circle amplification, assembly, transformation, gel electrophoresis, DNA purification and quantification)
• Develop and optimize protocols for enzymatic DNA synthesis workflows
• Maintain thorough, well-organized lab notebooks and experimental documentation
• Analyze data rigorously and present findings to the team

Skills

Molecular biology

DNA cloning

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

PhD in Biochemistry / related field

Tools

Python

R

Enzyme assays

Job description

Ansa Biotechnologies is redefining how scientists access synthetic DNA. Our proprietary enzymatic DNA synthesis platform enables the production of long, complex, sequence-perfect DNA - up to 50 kb clonal products - that traditional chemical synthesis cannot achieve. Backed by over $54M in Series B funding, we are scaling our technology to serve researchers in synthetic biology, gene therapy, and biopharma. Learn more at ansabio.com.

The Role

We are looking for a Scientist to perform research and process development building towards our next generation of products. This sets us up to replace molecular cloning work with faster, more reliable and affordable plasmid synthesis. The ideal candidate has a strong background in molecular biology that is highly familiar with cloning, DNA amplification, and sequencing processes. You will design and execute experiments working in a collaborative manner, build and fine-tune molecular biology workflows, with the goal of building robust, scalable DNA manufacturing processes. This is a hands-on role where priorities can shift quickly, and you need to execute efficiently and rapidly on high-priority items. The role is at the heart of Ansa's product development, interacting with scientists with diverse technical backgrounds.

What You'll Do

• Design, execute, and analyze molecular biology experiments, working collaboratively with other scientists to support new product development and process optimization
• Perform DNA cloning and manipulation (PCR, restriction digestion, ligation, rolling-circle amplification, assembly, transformation, gel electrophoresis, DNA purification and quantification)
• Develop and optimize protocols for enzymatic DNA synthesis workflows
• Maintain thorough, well-organized lab notebooks and experimental documentation
• Analyze data rigorously and present findings to the team

What We're Looking For

Required:

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or equivalent.
• 5+ years experience with nucleic acid biochemistry/chemical biology
• Strong foundational skills in DNA cloning, manipulation, and analysis
• Deep knowledge of enzyme assay development and nucleic acid biochemistry
• Great analytical skills and a logical approach to problem solving
• Ability to learn new technical areas quickly and thrive in a multidisciplinary environment
• Strong interpersonal, verbal communication, and presentation skills
• Meticulous attention to detail in experimental execution and documentation
• A proactive, can-do attitude. You're ready to jump in and execute wherever the work takes you, adapting quickly as priorities shift
• Ability to learn new techniques and concepts quickly

Preferred:

• Experience in a fast-paced startup or early-stage R&D environment
• Familiarity with process development, method optimization, or scale-up
• Experience with data analysis tools (Python, R, or similar)

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and equity.
• Generous benefits package including health, dental, and vision.
• Ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
• A collaborative and innovative work environment.
• The opportunity to be part of a company at the forefront of synthetic biology and innovation.

Ansa Biotechnologies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

At Ansa, we are building a high-performing team focused on changing how scientists access

DNA. We look for people who are curious, rigorous, accountable, and excited to work on hard

problems. Our hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications, experience, and the needs of