Scientist (San Francisco-based)

Portal; Watertown (MA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Portal Biotechnologies, headquartered in Watertown, MA, is a rapidly scaling cell-engineering platform company with three high-value lines spanning biopharma R&D screening, cell therapy manufacturing, and AI training data generation. The role seeks a PhD-level scientist who will deploy Portal’s platform with customers, building trusted relationships and collaborating with industry and academic partners.

The ideal candidate has an extroverted, entrepreneurial mindset, a passion for scientific

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, immunology, stem cell biology, or related field.
• 1–3 years in consultative sales, business development, or technical commercial role within biotech or life science tools.
• Located in Greater Boston or SF Bay Area, with travel ~50%.

Responsibilities

• Identify and explore new application areas by extending insights from existing use cases and discoveries where Portal’s platform can impact growth.
• Proactively seek, evaluate, and generate new business opportunities via outbound efforts, market research, and networking at events.
• Partner with customers to design and run experiments that explore new applications and support adoption of Portal’s platform.
• Effectively communicate Portal’s capabilities through email, phone, virtual and in-person meetings, tailored presentations, and live demos.
• Take a consultative approach to engage scientific and business leaders, revealing opportunities to grow customer value through product positioning.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to advance partnerships, lead technical discussions, and support deal progression and negotiations.
• Inform product development by keeping pulse on customer needs, market dynamics, and industry trends.

Skills

Communication

Team collaboration

Business development

Education

PhD in life sciences

Job description

Portal Biotechnologies, headquartered in Watertown, MA, 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 $15M 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:

We are seeking a PhD-level scientist who enjoys applying their scientific expertise beyond the bench while remaining deeply connected to cutting-edge science and technology. In this role, you’ll be instrumental in deploying Portal’s platform with customers and partner organizations by building trusted relationships and collaborating with a diverse mix of industry and academic professionals.

The ideal candidate brings an extroverted, entrepreneurial mindset, a passion for scientific innovation, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment. This role sits at the intersection of science, strategy, and sales - perfect for someone who enjoys translating complex biology into real-world impact.

How you’ll make an impact:

• Identify and explore new application areas by extending insights from existing use cases and new discoveries where Portal’s platform can deliver meaningful impact and drive future growth
• Proactively seek, evaluate, and generate new business opportunities through outbound efforts, including digital prospecting tools, market research, and networking at events and conferences
• Partner closely with customers to design and execute experiments that explore new applications and support the successful adoption of Portal’s platform
• Effectively communicate Portal’s current and emerging technical capabilities through email, phone, virtual and in-person meetings, tailored presentations, and live demonstrations
• Take a consultative approach to engage scientific and business leaders, uncovering opportunities to grow customer value through thoughtful product positioning and differentiation
• Collaborate cross-functionally to advance partnerships, lead technical discussions, and support deal progression and negotiations
• Inform and support product development by maintaining a strong understanding of customer needs, market dynamics, and industry trends

Your experience & qualifications:

• PhD in molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, immunology, stem cell biology or related field
• 1-3 years of experience in a consultative sales, business development, or technical commercial role within biotech, life science tools, or a related environment - experience with or understanding of cell and gene therapy (C>) products and technologies is a plus
• Located in Greater Boston or in the SF Bay Area, with the ability to travel approximately 50% of the time
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey complex scientific concepts and translate technical details into compelling, partner-facing messaging
• A collaborative, team-oriented mindset with the ability to work effectively across functions in a growing organization
• Adaptability and learning agility, with a demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-moving startup environment

Please note:

Portal’s headquarters are located in Watertown, MA with free on-site parking. We also have an additional site in San Carlos, CA. On-site parking is available and it's a 15 minute walk from the Caltrain station. We are open to hiring for either location.

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.