Senior Research Associate, Technology Development

Profluent is an AI-first protein design company. Founded in 2022, we develop deep generative models to design and validate novel, functional proteins to revolutionize biomedicine. Based in Emeryville, CA, we are backed by leading investors including Spark Capital, Insight Partners, Air Street Capital, AIX Ventures, and Convergent Ventures.

Profluent is seeking a creative, passionate, and detail-oriented individual to join our Technology Development team and contribute to the design and scale-up of high-throughput workflows for protein, gene, and cell engineering. Your primary responsibility will be to conceptualize, develop, execute, and scale arrayed and pooled assays for gene editing in mammalian cells. 

You will work at the intersection of biology, automation, and data to advance cutting-edge research. You will drive impactful projects and contribute to the conception, design, analysis, and interpretation of experiments. You will bring creative problem-solving to early-stage conceptualization and troubleshooting, and apply a detail-oriented, data-driven mindset during late-stage optimization. 

As part of the team, you will excel as both an individual contributor and a collaborator, actively supporting shared goals while learning from and contributing to new technical and conceptual areas. Your adaptability and curiosity will help advance Profluent’s mission to develop transformative gene-editing technologies.

We welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds who share our commitment to revolutionizing biology, driving meaningful innovation, and making a lasting impact on global healthcare. 

This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of AI-driven protein design while collaborating with a dynamic, interdisciplinary team of experts in machine learning, protein engineering, cell biology, and gene editing.

Responsibilities

• Develop, execute, and automate arrayed and pooled mammalian cell-based gene editing assays
• Design and execute low and high throughput plasmid cloning campaigns for construction of DNA libraries
• Leverage variety of readouts, including plate-based assays, flow cytometry, and next generation sequencing (NGS)
• Perform mammalian cell culture and transfection
• Precisely track and document experimental samples, assay data, and results
• Analyze experimental data and interpret results
• Present experimental results to colleagues in team and cross-team meetings
• Contribute to lab maintenance and adhere to EHS standards 

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, or a related field 
• 4-6 years of biotechnology industry research experience or equivalent academic experience
• Extensive, hands-on experience with mammalian and bacterial cell culture and molecular biology
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams
• Strong organizational skills to accurately track laboratory samples and experimental data

Preferences (but not required)

• Experience with CRISPR and/or mammalian cell-based gene editing assays
• Experience with next generation sequencing wet lab and computational workflows/analysis
• Experience with high throughput screening workflows
• Experience with process development and dissemination across teams 
• Experience processing and analyzing large experimental datasets (i.e. Python or JMP)

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must have ongoing work authorization in the United States that does not require employer sponsorship. Sponsorship will not be provided now or at any time in the future for this position.

Employment Eligibility VerificationLegal authorization to work in the United States is required. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired must verify their identity and work eligibility and complete the required employment verification form upon hire.

Hiring Salary Range$101,000—$118,000 USD

What we offer at Profluent

• A high-growth opportunity with meaningful impact
• Competitive compensation package
• Health insurance (health/dental/vision)
• Generous paid time off (PTO) policy
• Commitment to physical and mental well-being
• More benefits and perks to be added!

Profluent Bio, Inc is an equal opportunity employer promoting diversity and inclusion in the workspace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), genetic information, taking or requesting statutorily protected leave, or any other basis protected by law.