Senior Research Associate, Histology

Arbor Biotechnologies; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 85,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus program

Equity grant

Parental leave 12 weeks

Parking or transit benefits

Job summary

Arbor Biotechnologies, a clinical stage gene editing company in Cambridge, MA, seeks a scientist to run histology assays on CNS tissue from rodent and non-human primates. You will quantify readouts and generate data to guide program decisions, presenting results to cross-functional teams.

Requires 3+ years in industry with experience in IHC/IF/ISH and CNS tissue analysis; experience with HALO/QuPath/ImageJ is preferred. On-site role with opportunities for growth and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, or related field; 3+ years in industry, or Master’s with 1+ year.
• Experience developing, optimizing, and running IHC, IF, or ISH/RNAscope assays; automated staining platform experience preferred.
• Experience with CNS tissue from rodent models; non-human primate tissue experience preferred.
• Quantitative image analysis of CNS histology or ISH readouts in HALO, QuPath, ImageJ/Fiji, or similar tools.
• Detailed experimental records and ability to present data to a project team.
• Experience in gene therapy, gene editing, AAV, or CNS programs preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and run IHC, IF, and ISH/RNAscope assays on preclinical CNS tissue.
• Process, stain, and image CNS tissue from rodent and non-human primate studies.
• Quantify assay readouts in HALO, QuPath, or ImageJ/Fiji.
• Generate histology data to assess biodistribution, target engagement, PD activity, editing outcomes, and safety.
• Analyze and graph results in GraphPad Prism and summarize for project scientists.
• Plan histology endpoints and tissue readouts for in vivo studies with the study lead.
• Present results in group meetings and cross-functional study discussions.
• Troubleshoot assays, improve workflows, and maintain accurate experiment records.

Skills

IHC

IF

ISH/RNAscope

Image analysis

CNS tissue

Education

Bachelor’s degree in biology/neuroscience/pharmacology or related

Master’s degree

Tools

HALO

QuPath

ImageJ/Fiji

GraphPad Prism

Job description

Who We Are.

Arbor Biotechnologies, a clinical stage, next-generation gene editing company based in Cambridge, MA, is advancing a portfolio of first-in-class genomic medicines addressing serious diseases for which there are no existing functional cures, with a CNS pipeline initially prioritizing multiple ALS targets and a co-developed, clinical program, ABO-101, for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1. The company’s unique breadth of gene editing technologies goes beyond the limitations of early editing approaches to unlock access to new gene targets and expand the therapeutic reach of genomic medicines. For more information, please visit: arbor.bio.

Who thrives here.

You're driven by purpose and curious by nature. You take ownership, speak up, and stay steady when things get hard. You'd rather the team win than get the credit. If that sounds like you, keep reading.

Why this role matters.

Before any of our CNS gene editing programs can move toward the clinic, we need to see in tissue where an editor went, whether it reached its target, and what it did there. This role produces that evidence. You’ll run and quantify the histology assays on rodent and non-human primate tissue that our program teams use to decide what moves forward.

This role reports to the Senior Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology. It is on-site in Cambridge, typically 4-5 days per week.

What You'll Own.

• Develop, optimize, and run IHC, IF, and ISH/RNAscope assays on preclinical CNS tissue.
• Process, stain, and image CNS tissue from rodent and non-human primate studies.
• Quantify assay readouts in image analysis software such as HALO, QuPath, or ImageJ/Fiji.
• Generate the histology data used to assess biodistribution, target engagement, pharmacodynamic activity, editing outcomes, and safety.
• Analyze and graph results in GraphPad Prism and summarize them clearly for project scientists.
• Plan histology endpoints and tissue readouts for in vivo studies with the study lead.
• Present results in group meetings and cross-functional study discussions.
• Troubleshoot assays, improve workflows, and keep experimental records and sample tracking accurate.

What You've Done.

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, or a related field with 3+ years of industry experience, or a master’s degree with 1+ year.
• Has developed, optimized, and run IHC, IF, or ISH/RNAscope assays; automated staining platform experience preferred.
• Has worked with CNS tissue from rodent models; non-human primate tissue experience preferred.
• Has performed quantitative image analysis of CNS histology or ISH readouts in HALO, QuPath, ImageJ/Fiji, or a comparable tool.
• Has kept detailed experimental records and presented data to a project team.
• Has worked on gene therapy, gene editing, AAV, or CNS programs (preferred).

What you'll get.

The anticipated base salary range for this role is $85,000–$95,000. Actual pay depends on relevant experience, skills, education, internal equity, and other job-related factors.

Every employee is eligible for a bonus and new hire equity. We pay about 90% of medical, dental, and vision premiums and fund the full deductible on our HSA plan. You'll also get 12 weeks of parental leave at full pay, paid parking or transit, a 401(k) match, and discretionary time off.

Arbor is an equal opportunity employer. We're committed to a hiring process and a workplace free of bias and discrimination, and we welcome candidates of every background.