Senior Scientist, Automated cfDNA Assay Development

natera; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 106,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Natera is seeking a Senior Scientist for the R&D assay development team in Austin, TX. You will lead development, verification, and validation studies for cfDNA assays in a regulated environment, guiding junior scientists and technicians through design controls.

The role emphasizes collaboration across automation, engineering, R&D, bioinformatics, and lab operations to build robust automated workflows and ensure high data integrity, with opportunities to influence product portfolios.

Qualifications

• University degree and 8+ years of related experience or MS with 6+ years or PhD with 4+ years.
• Knowledge of high-throughput NGS workflows or genetic testing in clinical settings.
• Experience in developing and validating molecular assays for CLIA lab testing.
• Experience with automation of molecular workflows or assay transfer to automated platforms.
• Experience across more than one project; strong interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with track record of collaboration and independent work.

Responsibilities

• Design development, verification, and validation studies with stakeholder input and coordinate milestones within established timelines.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop robust, automated workflows.
• Lead integration testing of automated workflows with software LIMS systems and ensure data integrity between systems.
• Plan, execute, analyze and present data for moderate to high complexity experiments; hands-on troubleshooting.
• Identify root causes and develop effective solutions.
• Perform data analysis using Excel and JMP; coordinate study analysis with biostatistics and bioinformatics teams.
• Provide regular project updates to ensure alignment and transparency.
• Author and review SOPs, study reports, and transfer documents for production implementation.
• Train team members on new SOPs and automated workflows.
• Provide support to lab operations, troubleshooting and technical guidance.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical skills

Problem-solving

Team collaboration

Project management

Education

MS/PhD in a related field

PhD in related field

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

JMP

LIMS automation

Gemini AI

Claude AI

Job description

Natera is seeking a Senior Scientist for the R&D assay development team in Austin, TX. You will lead development, verification, and validation studies for cfDNA assays in a regulated environment, guiding junior scientists and technicians through design controls.

The role emphasizes collaboration across automation, engineering, R&D, bioinformatics, and lab operations to build robust automated workflows and ensure high data integrity, with opportunities to influence product portfolios.