Senior Quality Scientist I

Addgene; Watertown (MA); Hybrid; USD 84,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare premiums

Dental coverage

Life insurance

PTO 22 days + holidays

403(b) retirement with company match

Transit benefits to onsite workers

Onsite yoga

Wellness reimbursement

Annual planning sessions

Job summary

Addgene is seeking a Senior Quality Scientist I in Watertown, MA, a hybrid role partnering with the Quality team to advance the catalogue and data capabilities. You will own complex QC analyses, develop new processes, and contribute scripting and bioinformatics expertise essential for scaling quality.

The role emphasizes proactive improvement and collaboration with scientists and developers. As part of Addgene's mission, you will help ensure high-quality materials reach researchers worldwide,

Qualifications

• PhD or MS with strong life sciences/ QC background.
• Experience with cloning, primer design, and sequence analysis.
• Experience with programming or scripting languages and command line tools.
• Experience with NGS analysis using bioinformatic software.
• Ability to write technical reports and document outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform, document, and report QC analysis across sample types and complexity levels.
• Resolve novel or non-routine QC issues.
• Lead NGS-related bioinformatic processes and pipeline management.
• Provide bioinformatic, scripting, and command line expertise to project development.
• Mentor and cross-train team members; update SOPs and processes.

Skills

Bioinformatics scripting

Python

R

DNA sequence analysis

NGS analysis

Laboratory techniques

Documentation and SOP writing

English communication

Education

PhD in Biological Sciences

MS with 4+ years experience

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Command line tools

Google Workspace

MS Office

Sequencing software

Job description

This position will contribute to Addgene’s mission to accelerate research and discovery by improving access to useful research materials and information through ensuring only the highest quality materials are distributed to scientists. The Senior Quality Scientist I will help the Quality team grow Addgene’s catalogue of items available for customers to order while sustaining our high quality of materials offered. Additionally, this position will grow the team’s computational and quality analysis capabilities.

POSITION REPORTS TO

Sr. Manager, Quality

APPROXIMATE START DATE

ASAP

SALARY

$84,000 - 92,000 annually + our amazing benefits! (see below)

LOCATION & POLICY ON REMOTE WORK

This is a hybrid position, with Wednesdays required onsite in our Watertown, Massachusetts Headquarters. Our beautiful office space has free, ample parking with a complimentary shuttle from Harvard Square and is on multiple bus lines, with the cost of public transit covered by Addgene for those onsite at least twice a week.

The Role:

In this position, you will support Addgene’s mission to deliver only the highest quality materials to scientists around the world. The Senior Quality Scientist I independently owns complex QC analyses and depositor relationships, leads new process development within the QC team, and contributes bioinformatic and scripting expertise to team capability expansion. This role is expected to proactively identify gaps and opportunities within the QC team's existing scope, propose projects, and execute them with minimal direction.

To Succeed in this Role, You Will:

• Independently perform, document, and report quality control (QC) analysis across all sample types and complexity levels, including resolving novel or non-routine QC issues.
  • QC analysis includes verifying sample functionality through DNA sequence analysis of Illumina and Nanopore next generation sequencing data, as well as diagnostic restriction enzyme digests.
• Serve as escalation point for complex depositor communications before escalation up; own end-to-end resolution of difficult cases
• Provide bioinformatic, script writing, and command line expertise to new project development and process optimization plans
• Lead NGS-related bioinformatic processes; serve as a technical resource for post-run data processing, pipeline management, uploading of sequencing results, and troubleshooting.
• Perform additional Quality team duties for specialized sample analyses, internal team processes, and external team communications.
• Contribute to the development of Quality Control team goals and best practices; lead discussions on progress and alignment at team meetings
• Serve as a subject and technical expert on QC tasks, answer team questions, cross-train team members, and update and improve team processes and SOPs.
• Develop and lead new team initiatives to improve quality, efficiency, and scope of performing QC analyses on a variety of samples through different means.
• Author, update, and maintain new SOPs for developmental processes. Cross-train team members on new processes upon launch.
• Occasionally contribute to outreach/marketing initiatives and/or to educational content on our website.

Skills and Competencies

• PhD in Biological Sciences or other life science, MS with 4+ years related experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience with cloning, primer design, and sequence analysis required
• Experience with a programming or scripting language (Python, Bash, R, etc) and command line tools
• Experience with next-generation sequencing analysis using bioinformatic software required
• Working knowledge of standard molecular biology practices including bacterial transformations, DNA preparation, and digests
• Well versed in reading scientific research articles
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
• Able to manage multiple tasks efficiently
• Self-motivated, proactive with desire for continuous improvement
• Mentoring mindset, demonstrating patience and clarity in explanations
• Strong leadership skills with ability to communicate complex information succinctly
• Ability to adapt to changing lab priorities, new technologies, or unforeseen challenges, finding innovative ways to manage them.
• Ability to write technical reports and document outcomes of projects
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a cross functional team
• Must be able to communicate effectively in English; strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills and ability to work closely with scientists required
• Familiarity with general computer software, including sequence analysis software, Google Workspace, and MS Office

Benefits

At Addgene, we prioritize our people with comprehensive benefits that support both your work and your life.

• 85% company-paid healthcare premiums including dental (extending to family members) and 100% company-paid deductible
• Life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance.
• 22 days of PTO on top of our winter break closure and company holidays.
• A 403(b) retirement account with a company match of 4% after 2 years of employment.
• Annual lifestyle stipend
• Fully paid public transportation for employees who work onsite four or more days per week.
• Onsite yoga classes & wellness reimbursement
• Annual financial planning one-on-ones with our plan administrator

The Organization:

Addgene is a self-sustaining, thriving nonprofit life sciences organization that was created to help scientists share DNA-based research materials called plasmids. Our mission is to accelerate research and discovery by improving access to useful research materials and information . Since its founding in 2004, Addgene has grown and innovated in order to assist the research community by archiving and sharing useful DNA-based research materials and resources (such as plasmids, viral vectors, and recombinant antibodies) with scientists worldwide. Broad availability of these unique research materials promotes the advancement of research in a wide variety of disciplines, including cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders, while increasing collaboration within the scientific community. Learn more here from one of our founders, Melina Fan.

As an “Addgenie”, you will work collaboratively with internal teams to help fulfill this mission, including scientists, software engineers and product developers, renowned customer support teams, scientific content creators, and business development professionals. Together, Addgenies create and enhance opportunities for research scientists to deposit their materials, find products and resources easily on our website, and receive unparalleled support in receiving and expertly using their materials in their own experiments.

Life at Addgene:

Addgene is a truly special place to work. We are an inclusive and welcoming group of people from many backgrounds and perspectives. We believe in flexibility, actively supporting professional development, and a strong work/life balance. We value sharing ideas and feedback with each other and the company. Learn more about Life at Addgene

We also believe it's important to make time for fun, whether it's eating popcorn at our outdoor movie night, sharing cute photos in the #pets slack channel, or sampling whiskeys at our end-of-year social hour. Bookworms, athletes, gamers, parents, foodies, and more will find community in Addgene's events and Slack channels.

Addgene works with a global scientific community in which the best innovations and discoveries come from diverse teams. We continuously learn from and celebrate a variety of perspectives and seek to create an environment where all people can feel heard, respected, and valued.