Senior Translational Cancer Research Associate

CHEManager International; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles is seeking a Staff Research Associate III to support human cancer translational research, performing molecular biology, proteomic, NGS, cell culture, and PCR-based assays.

The role involves working with human tissues, developing new assay approaches, analyzing data, and collaborating with investigators, bioinformaticians, and biostatisticians to advance research findings and publications.

Qualifications

• More than four (4) years of hands-on research laboratory experience.
• Extensive experience with human cancer translational assays and the handling and processing of human tissues and blood.
• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques and proteomic assays and/or NGS assay setup.
• Hands-on experience with cell culture and PCR-based assays.
• Ability to independently develop, optimize, validate, and troubleshoot laboratory protocols and assays.
• Ability to learn new laboratory instruments, technologies, and assay workflows efficiently.
• Strong quantitative, analytical, organizational, and documentation skills, including the ability to analyze and clearly present research data.
• Demonstrated ability to train and lead junior laboratory staff while managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work effectively with investigators, laboratory staff, bioinformaticians, and biostatisticians.
• Strong scientific writing skills and ability to contribute to manuscripts, reports, abstracts, and presentations.

Responsibilities

• Perform and optimize molecular biology, proteomic, NGS assay setup, cell culture, and PCR-based assays in support of translational cancer research.
• Process human tissues and blood specimens in accordance with approved protocols, biosafety requirements, and quality standards.
• Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments; learn and implement new instrument-based assays and technologies.
• Develop, adapt, document, and validate new assay approaches as required by research objectives.
• Identify, investigate, and resolve protocol, assay-performance, specimen-quality, and equipment problems.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records, reagent inventories, sample tracking, standard operating procedures, and quality-control documentation.
• Analyze, interpret, summarize, and present experimental data to investigators and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Collaborate with bioinformaticians and biostatisticians on data quality, analysis plans, interpretation, and integration of laboratory and computational results.
• Provide technical leadership, training, and day-to-day guidance to junior research technicians.
• Prepare figures, tables, methods, data summaries, and supporting materials for presentations, reports, grant applications, abstracts, and manuscripts.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of research program and institutional needs.

Skills

Molecular biology

Proteomics

NGS assays

Cell culture

PCR-based assays

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Biotechnology

Tools

PCR instruments

Next-generation sequencing

Proteomic platforms

Laboratory automation

Job description

The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles is seeking a Staff Research Associate III to support human cancer translational research, performing molecular biology, proteomic, NGS, cell culture, and PCR-based assays.

The role involves working with human tissues, developing new assay approaches, analyzing data, and collaborating with investigators, bioinformaticians, and biostatisticians to advance research findings and publications.