Senior Scientist, Preclinical Design & Development

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Lauderdale Courts (TN); On-site; USD 86,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, invites applications for Scientist / Associate Scientist – Preclinical Design & Development (PDD Core).

The role focuses on patient-derived cell models, high-throughput screening, and RNA biology within a collaborative, project-driven environment. You will design and execute cell-based evaluation workflows, derive patient-specific models, validate RT-qPCR and ddPCR readouts, manage parallel timelines, and contribute to a culture of scientific

Qualifications

• Experience with plate-based molecular screening workflows and quantitative nucleic acid assays.
• Working knowledge of RNA biology and pre-mRNA splicing in a therapeutic context.
• Proficiency in mammalian cell culture, including patient-derived models.
• Ability to manage multi-step workflows across parallel projects with rigor.
• Comfort adapting protocols to new cellular contexts and collaborating across teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute cell-based therapeutic evaluation workflows with high rigor across concurrent patient cases.
• Derive and bank patient-specific cellular models for screening and validation.
• Design and validate RT-qPCR and ddPCR assays and perform readouts to evaluate efficacy.
• Manage timelines and communicate with collaborators to support project goals.
• Maintain documentation, data integrity and QC standards in a Core lab setting.

Skills

Plate-based screening

RT-qPCR

ddPCR

RNA biology

Mammalian cell culture

Multi-step workflows

Protocol adaptation

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in genomics/molecular biology

Tools

Janus liquid handler

Job description

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, invites applications for Scientist / Associate Scientist – Preclinical Design & Development (PDD Core).

The role focuses on patient-derived cell models, high-throughput screening, and RNA biology within a collaborative, project-driven environment. You will design and execute cell-based evaluation workflows, derive patient-specific models, validate RT-qPCR and ddPCR readouts, manage parallel timelines, and contribute to a culture of scientific