Senior Research Assistant - Biology

Tufts University; Medford (MA); On-site; USD 67,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

Tufts University in Medford, MA, seeks a Senior Research Assistant to advance Xenobot and synthetic living-system projects. You will mentor staff, develop protocols, and support ML analyses in a multidisciplinary setting.

Responsibilities include protocol design, data interpretation, and contributing to publications, with oversight from senior scientists and the PI. Grant-funded, limited-term through Jan 31, 2028, with potential renewals.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in science and at least 5 years of related research experience.
• Cell culture and sterile techniques are required.
• Strong organizational, communication, and data management abilities.
• Experience mentoring junior staff and guiding lab projects.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and train junior staff; provide day-to-day lab direction.
• Develop and test Xenobot fabrication and behavior protocols.
• Analyze physiological and behavioral data; support ML pipelines.
• Design experiments, interpret results, and refine protocols.
• Prepare materials for publication and presentation.

Skills

Mentoring

Data analysis

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Data management

Education

Master's Degree in science

5+ years of related research experience

Tools

Microscopy

Calcium imaging

Job description

Overview

The Allen Discovery Center is dedicated to the advancement of basic biology and biomedicine, and to using an integrated approach to control biological structure and function. Through a combination of molecular genetics, biophysics, and computational approaches, researchers at the Center work toward multi-level control of patterning. Novel technology is being developed to modulate the bioelectric communication that enables cells to coordinate their activities toward specific anatomical and functional outcomes. Applications in progress include the repair of birth defects, regenerative medicine, cancer reprogramming, and synthetic biology.

What You'll Do

This is a grant-funded and limited-term position through January 31, 2028. There is the possibility of renewal based upon performance and continued funding.

The Senior Research Assistant (SRA) will play a key role in advancing research initiatives within the Levin Lab. As part of a multi-hire initiative, the SRA will serve as a mentor, assist in training junior staff, and support day-to-day laboratory activities. This highly exploratory project operates at the intersection of academia and industry and focuses on the development of Xenobots and related synthetic living systems as biosensors for applications in environmental sensing, synthetic biology, and regenerative medicine.

With guidance from senior staff scientists, the SRA will develop and test protocols for Xenobot fabrication and behavior tracking, analyze physiological and behavioral data, and support machine learning pipelines for pattern recognition and predictive modeling. We seek a broad-minded and intellectually curious individual who is enthusiastic about designing new protocols, conducting unconventional experiments, and working across diverse model systems, including cell culture, amphibian-derived synthetic constructs, plants, and algae.

Significant experience with cell culture and sterile techniques is highly preferred. In collaboration with the Principal Investigator, the SRA will help develop and refine research techniques and protocols, contribute to experimental design, and independently perform a wide range of specialized and unconventional research procedures. The SRA will analyze and interpret data, assist in preparing materials for publication and presentation, and, with the oversight and support of Senior Staff Scientists and the Principal Investigator, provide work direction to junior laboratory staff while helping ensure the successful execution of project activities.

• Conducts exploratory unconventional specialized laboratory experiments
• Mentors junior staff and provides work directions to them
• Develops research study design, techniques and protocols in collaboration with Principal Investigator
• Reviews results and suggests modifications to experiments and protocols where necessary
• Oversees collection and data entry of results
• Analyzes and interprets data and drafts results of experiments
• Writes summaries and material for presentation and publication

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements

Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Master's Degree in science
• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in a related field of research
• Cell culture and sterile technique
• Demonstrated experience in managing and directing basic science research studies and lab operations
• Strong organizational, communication, and data management skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of and experience with advanced laboratory techniques and procedures, data interpretation and statistical analysis
• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques, microscopy, and bioassay design
• Familiarity with calcium imaging, synthetic biology, and gene expression systems (e.g., mRNA microinjection)

Pay Range

Minimum $67,200.00, Midpoint $83,900.00, Maximum $100,700.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.