Sr Research Associate

Natera; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Life & disability

401k plan

Fertility care benefits

Employee referral program

Job summary

Natera is seeking a Senior Research Associate to join the Molecular Biology product development team in Austin, TX. The role focuses on process optimization, developing and advancing cfDNA-based oncology tests, and collaborating with scientists to improve assay development.

The candidate will design experiments, analyze data, document results, and communicate findings to a cross-functional team while adhering to HIPAA/PHI privacy and company policies.

Qualifications

• B.S. degree in molecular biology or related field required.
• 3–4 years of industry assay development experience.
• Experience with nucleic acid techniques and Next Generation Sequencing.
• Familiarity with statistical analysis software and data interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Design, plan, and perform experiments for non-invasive prenatal tests and cancer detection tests.
• Autonomously plan and execute complex laboratory experiments and analyze data.
• Maintain detailed notebooks and write protocols with documented results.
• Troubleshoot laboratory processes and contribute insights to findings.
• Communicate results with a multi-disciplinary team including biologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, software engineers, and managers.

Skills

Nucleic acid techniques

NGS

Statistical analysis

JMP

Database programming

Education

B.S. in molecular biology or related field

Job description

We are looking for a highly motivated Senior Research Associate with a strong focus on process optimization and improvements to join the Molecular Biology product development team, joining a group of scientists who are tasked with developing and advancing Natera’s oncology product portfolio.

The Senior Research Associate performs research and/or development tasks in collaboration with others. Makes detailed observations, analyzes data, and interprets results. Investigates creates and develops new methods and technologies for project advancement. Maintains a high level of professional expertise through familiarity with scientific literature.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design, plan, and perform experiments geared towards the development of non-invasive prenatal tests and cancer detection tests.
• Autonomously and accurately plan and execute complex laboratory experiments Analyze data using advanced analytical tools
• Keep a detailed laboratory notebook; write protocols and experimental plans, and document results and scientific interpretations
• Contribute insight toward experimental findings and troubleshoot laboratory processes and protocols
• Communicate and discuss results with a multidisciplinary team including biologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, software engineers, and managers
• Summarize work in research reports and laboratory meeting presentations
• Learn and understand the science behind ongoing research projects while simultaneously completing increasingly complex tasks.
• This role will have occasional access to PHI both in paper and electronic form and have occasional access to various technologies to access PHI (paper and electronic) in order to perform the job.
• The employee must complete training relating to HIPAA/PHI privacy, General Policies and Procedure Compliance training and security training as soon as possible but not later than the first 30 days of hire.
• Must maintain a current status on Natera training requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

• B.S. degree in molecular biology, related field, or equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 - 4 years of industry experience in an assay development department.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Extensive hands‑on experience with nucleic acid techniques (DNA manipulation, PCR, qPCR, DNA quantitation and analysis by LabChip and BioAnalyzer).
• Experience with Next Generation Sequencing techniques and protocols.
• Experience in basic statistical analysis; working knowledge of JMP is a plus; database experience and programming is a plus.
• Experience optimizing new methodologies and novel nucleic acid techniques and tests.

The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations.

Austin, TX

$69,700 - $87,100 USD

OUR OPPORTUNITY

Natera™ is a global leader in cell‑free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women’s health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.

The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world‑class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you’ll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you’ll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.

WHAT WE OFFER

Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!

Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.

If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.

Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @ natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.