Research Associate I/II

Research Associate I/II

About this opportunity: At Freenome, you will help develop the assay technologies used to analyze patient samples and contribute to our mission of early detection and intervention in human disease. As a Research Associate I/II, you will provide experience in next-generation-sequencing (NGS)-based analyses of DNA. Starting with a prototype assay, you will contribute to developing and validating clinical-grade assays to measure complex, blood-based analytes. You will work closely with multiple teams including molecular research, computational science, automation engineering, and clinical operations to develop the assays in a regulated, high-throughput environment as well as identify ways to rapidly iterate and improve on existing methods to evaluate technologies that can enhance our end-to-end test performance. The role reports to the Senior Manager and Staff Research Scientist. This role will be an Onsite role.

What you’ll do

• Apply knowledge of molecular biology, nucleic-acid biochemistry, and next-generation sequencing to develop assays for DNA.
• Characterize automated assays by generating and analyzing experimental data.
• Gather high-quality data, take detailed notes, and openly communicate on lessons learned while performing experiments.
• Collaborate with research team and computational biologists, understand how data reflect underlying molecular biology, and contribute to analyzing data and generating study conclusions.
• Present data in cross functional teams.
• Participate in troubleshooting efforts and design experiments with some supervisor guidance.
• Help with process improvements across the lab by thinking critically about the execution of all experiments.

Must haves:

• Bachelors with 1+ years of relevant industry experience or Masters in molecular biology, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience in NGS based assay development including sample preparation, library preparation, target capture, and sequencing.
• Biological understanding of human cell-free nucleic acids, single-cell analysis methods, immunology, and/or cancer biology.
• High attention to detail and ability to record accurate and detailed observations, assess impact, and perform troubleshooting as required.
• Flexible and highly motivated to learn new skills and comfortable adapting to changing priorities.
• Ability to manual pipette with high confidence, accuracy, and precision.
• Clear and proactive communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with team members in the same and adjacent disciplines.

Nice to haves:

• Experience working in a regulated laboratory environment (CLIA, GLP/GCLP, IVD development).
• Experience with automated platforms in plate-based, low-volume formats and/or microfluidics and experience working with automated liquid handlers.
• Experience using ELN (electronic lab notebook) and LIMS (lab information management system).
• Familiarity with programming in a scientific programming language (e.g., Python or R).