Scientist R&D

Natera; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual performance incentive bonus

Long-term equity awards

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off

Job summary

Natera is seeking an innovative Scientist to join the Platform Technologies team in the Research & Development organization. You will conduct pre-product research to develop and advance cutting-edge NGS technologies and expand Natera's technology portfolio by planning, designing, and executing laboratory research.

The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in molecular biology and demonstrated experience in developing NGS technologies, with the ability to work independently with minimal

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent in molecular biology, genomics, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years of industry experience post-Ph.D., or at least 1 year after postdoctoral research.
• Hands-on experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies and sample preparation methods.
• Experience conceptualizing, prototyping, and advancing NGS technologies from concept to product development.

Responsibilities

• Contributes substantially and intellectually to research and development.
• Leads research projects to design and demonstrate the feasibility of novel nucleic acid based diagnostic methods.
• Independently develops plans, generates ideas, and advances research objectives with minimal oversight.
• Plans and executes complex laboratory experiments, analyzes data, and applies insights to guide and refine project direction.
• Defines project plans with stakeholder input and coordinates efforts to achieve milestones within established timelines.
• Coordinates the execution and analysis of effective experiments with statistics and bioinformatics teams.
• Proposes, investigates, and implements innovative solutions to advance research objectives and overcome technical challenges.
• Communicates progress directly with colleagues and senior management, providing regular updates on project outcomes and next steps.

Skills

NGS experience

Molecular biology

Data analysis (Python/R)

Independent research

Education

Ph.D. in molecular biology/genomics or related

Tools

JMP

R

Python

Job description

We are seeking an innovative Scientist to join Natera's Platform Technologies team within the Research & Development organization. In this impactful role, you will conduct pre-product research to develop and advance cutting-edge NGS technologies and expand Natera's growing technology portfolio by planning, designing, and executing laboratory research. Additionally, you will investigate the feasibility of applying a wide variety of scientific principles and concepts to potential products and problems, based on your broad knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in molecular biology, demonstrated experience in developing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies, and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Contributes substantially and intellectually to research and development
• Leads research projects to design and demonstrate the feasibility of novel nucleic acid based diagnostic methods
• Independently develops plans, generates ideas, and advances research objectives with minimal oversight
• Plans and executes complex laboratory experiments, analyzes data, and applies insights to guide and refine project direction
• Defines project plans with stakeholder input and coordinates efforts to achieve milestones within established timelines
• Coordinates the execution and analysis of effective experiments with statistics and bioinformatics teams
• Proposes, investigates, and implements innovative solutions to advance research objectives and overcome technical challenges
• Communicates progress directly with colleagues and senior management, providing regular updates on project outcomes and next steps

Minimum Qualifications:

• Ph.D. or equivalent in molecular biology, genomics, or a closely related discipline
• Minimum 2 years of industry experience post-Ph.D., or at least 1 year of industry experience following the completion of postdoctoral research
• Hands-on experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies and sample preparation methods, including DNA/RNA extraction, library preparation, target enrichment (e.g., multiplex PCR, hybrid capture), and DNA sequencers
• Experience conceptualizing, prototyping, and advancing NGS technologies from initial concept to product development
• Strong research skills with a track record of designing and implementing innovative and scalable solutions
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent scientific judgment in experimental design and analysis
• Proficient in data analysis and statistical testing using tools such as Excel, JMP, R, or Python
• Proven success in partnering with bioinformatics and data science teams to drive project advancement
• Demonstrated ability to write clear project plans, study protocols, and standard operating procedures

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working within a CLIA lab environment or under a Quality Management System
• Experience with epigenetics/methylation, cfDNA/RNA, or digital PCR technologies
• Experience in transplant assessment, oncology, NIPT, or liquid biopsy applications
• Bioinformatics capabilities or programming experience (e.g., Python, R, SQL)

Compensation & Total Rewards

This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the base pay we reasonablyexpect to offer at the time of hire.Final compensation will vary based on experience, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

This positionis also eligible for additional compensation and benefits throughNatera’s robust Total Rewards program, including:

Annual performance incentive bonus

Long-term equity awards

401(k) with company match

Generous paid time off and company holidays

Additional wellness and work-life benefits

Compensation Range

$108,800 - $135,950 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.