Associate Scientist

Flagship Pioneering, Inc.•Cambridge, MA

11h•$96,000 - $126,500

About The Position

Quotient is seeking an Associate Scientist with experience in molecular biology, immunology and early drug discovery. This position will contribute to the translational validation of discovery platform targets in mechanistic and disease-relevant pharmacological models. The ideal candidate will be a talented, goal-oriented and highly motivated individual who will play a vital role in progressing the company’s early discovery projects in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. They will have a strong background in developing complex immune assays with primary human cells and tissues designed to understand the molecular basis of disease states as well as drug mechanism of action. The candidate must be comfortable working in and contributing to a diverse, highly dynamic, fast-paced and cross-functional team environment.

Requirements

BS or MS in Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or a related discipline and 3+ years of industry experience for MS or 5+ years for BS
In depth understanding of cellular and molecular biology techniques including mammalian cell culture, transfection, CRISPR, western blots, qPCR, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry
Prior experience running cell-based compound screening assays
Prior experience in an industrial setting, and familiarity with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) as well as proficiency in the use of Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELN)
Experience with experimental design and strong proficiency in assay execution, troubleshooting, data analysis, and data interpretation
Outstanding organizational and record keeping skills
Execution focused, team oriented, and highly motivated

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with RNA-seq, cloning and image analysis
Previous experience with lentiviral transductions or AAV transfection/transduction

Responsibilities

Use insights from literature and experimental results to design, optimize and implement robust in vitro experiments to validate target mechanisms and translational relevance to human disease
Execute biochemical and cell-based assays using recombinant proteins, mammalian cell lines and primary cells to define drug mechanism of action
Utilize creativity and critical thinking skills to innovate, troubleshoot/optimize experiments and to interpret data to drive go/no go decisions
Must display attention to detail, sense of urgency and “outside the box” thinking
Work under the supervision of senior members of the team and assist in designing and implementing research protocols
Perform laboratory experiments and apply various laboratory techniques including compound screens, flow cytometry, ELISA, qPCR, Western blotting.
Conduct in vitro and ex vivo assays, such as but not limited to overexpression, knockdown, knockout on immortalized and primary cells, stimulation, and cytokine profile or functional assays
Collect, analyze and interpret scientific data accurately
Maintain precise experimental records and documentation
Contribute to the preparation of research articles, reports and presentations
Follow lab safety procedures and rules to ensure a safe working environment
Participate in regular team meetings to discuss progress, challenges, and future plans