Research Associate I/II, Preclinical Research (Contract)

Lexeo Therapeutics • New York, NY

7d • Onsite

About The Position

The Research Associate I/II will support Lexeo’s human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived cardiomyocyte (iPSC-CM) platform, a core in vitro system used to evaluate target engagement, mechanism of action, and potency across discovery and preclinical programs. This hands-on laboratory role will execute established cellular and molecular assays, contribute to assay development, and generate high-quality data. The position reports to the Head of Cardiac Research and receives day-to-day scientific direction from the Preclinical Scientist leading the platform. It offers an opportunity to join a drug discovery team advancing therapies for genetic heart disease.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in cell biology, molecular biology, pharmacology, or a related field.
• 1–3 years of industry and/or academic laboratory experience.
• Hands-on experience culturing iPSC and with differentiation protocols for cardiomyocytes or neurons.
• Hands-on experience with cellular transfection methods.
• Experience with several of the following methods: ddPCR, qPCR, semi-quantitative PCR, Western blotting, ELISA, flow cytometry, and fluorescence microscopy.
• Strong laboratory skills, rigorous record-keeping, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work onsite five days per week at the New York City headquarters.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in an in vitro pharmacology group within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry.
• Experience with high-throughput screening platforms, automation, and workflows.
• Experience with the Jess automated Western blotting platform.
• Experience with TR-FRET, NanoBiT, FLIPR, or MEA assays.
• Familiarity with engineered heart tissue models and cardiac biology.
• Familiarity with AI-native, agentic lab-in-the-loop workflows connecting experimental design, automated execution, real-time data analysis, and iterative decision-making.
• Demonstrated ability to generate, document, and communicate high-quality experimental results; publications or patents are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Generate and validate cellular knockdown and overexpression models.
• Culture and maintain human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and other mammalian cell lines using aseptic technique.
• Perform ddPCR, qPCR, conventional PCR, gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, and ELISA to support mechanism-of-action and target-validation studies.
• Maintain complete and accurate laboratory records and contribute to the development and revision of assay SOPs.
• Analyze experimental data and prepare concise summaries for the Preclinical team.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level