Protein/ Enzyme Chemist RA 3

Hologic•San Diego, CA

38d•$71,000 - $103,700

About The Position

Research Associate 3 - Protein/Enzyme Chemist is responsible for assisting in development and transfer of protein systems, working in collaboration with a chief scientist in Applied Research and in collaboration with the Operations Department. This can involve supporting product transfer, specification setting, root cause investigations and on-market support, and other activities to ensure the robustness and performance of Hologic Diagnostic Assays. As a leading innovator of women’s health, we at Hologic are empowering people to live healthier lives everywhere, every day. R&D is the engine of our business here at Hologic, our R&D teams sit at the cutting edge of technology, our innovations are designed to achieve exceptional clinical results making it possible to detect, diagnose and treat illnesses and other health conditions earlier and with more certainty. The R&D Assay Applied Research team is looking for a candidate with considerable experience in protein biochemistry and assays and will function closely with a team of scientists to design processes for manufacture of proteins and related reagents. The candidate will join the Platform technology and Advanced Research group and will be responsible for developing wide-ranging knowledge in enzymes and associated protein/antibody systems applicable to Hologic’s Diagnostic Assays and Technology.

Requirements

BS with minimum 3-5 years post baccalaureate laboratory experience, 2-4 years post-M.S. without thesis experience. Industrial experience preferred, or 2 years laboratory experience post-M.S. with thesis, industrial experience preferred in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or related field.
Experience in analyzing proteins and nucleic acids using techniques such as SDS-PAGE, agarose gel electrophoresis, UV/Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence-based activity assays, or protein or nucleic acid quantitation.
Experience in performing PCR assays with fluorescent intercalating dyes or hydrolysis probes.
Familiarity with column chromatography techniques such as IMAC, affinity, ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, or size exclusion chromatography
Experience with buffer formulation for proteins and understanding the chemical properties of salts, chelators, biological buffers, and reducing agents.

Nice To Haves

Experience in Specification setting, Method development and transfer, and formal risk assessments
Working knowledge of enterprise tools, including electronic document & records management tools (SAP, Oracle, Agile), Microsoft office, JMP
Innovation: uses expertise and knowledge to provide perspective and innovative approaches to major projects
Strategic Thinking: manages priorities and secures support needed from other functions to complete the tasks
Planning: Identifies specific action steps, accountabilities, and timelines for completion of projects and provides accurate estimates for project resources
Communication: distills complex technical information and delivers it to team leaders so they can make effective decisions

Responsibilities

Assist in developing robust, scalable protein purification processes suitable for transfer to manufacturing
Purify proteins using column chromatography and filtration techniques
Perform functional and physical assays to assess protein purity and stability
Develop, generate, and verify buffer systems to support specific design requirements
Thoroughly and accurately document experiments as they are performed
Curate samples and generate process development reports
Help troubleshoot unexpected or challenging results within a team
Optimize and stress test process designs to ensure robust performance
Analyze, summarize, and present results to team leaders to drive design decisions and improvements