Research Associate I

HAYA Therapeutics • San Diego, CA

3d • $70,000 - $90,000

About The Position

At HAYA Therapeutics, we are pioneering a new class of programmable RNA-guided therapeutics that target the regulatory genome to reprogram disease-driving cell states. By decoding the causal biology of pathological cell states and the long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate them, HAYA translates these insights into tractable therapeutic candidates designed to address disease at its source and restore cellular health. HAYA is advancing a broad pipeline of RNA-guided medicines for chronic, age-related diseases.
Recognized globally for our scientific innovation, HAYA has been named a 2025 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (WEF), selected for BioSpace's NextGen Bio Class of 2026, recognized as a 2026 Disruptive Pioneer by IDEA Pharma, and celebrated as one of the Top Innovative Companies in Switzerland for 2025. As a fast-growing biotech, we offer an entrepreneurial, science-driven environment where you’ll have a direct impact on shaping our pipeline and advancing RNA medicine.

Requirements

• Demonstrated capability in primary cell isolation, propagation, and differentiation, with specific expertise in mammalian cell lines or primary fibroblasts/myoblasts.
• Practical experience performing nucleic acid extractions (RNA/DNA), PCR, and compound/ASO transfection screenings.
• Hands-on experience with tissue sectioning (FFPE/cryosectioning), histology staining, immunofluorescence (IF), or fluorescence microscopy.
• Comfortable handling animal tissue samples from vivarium studies and maintaining strict chain-of-custody documentation.
• Proven ability to rapidly adopt new laboratory protocols, operate digital ELNs, and maintain meticulous attention to experimental detail.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, or a related life sciences discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with NGS library preparation (RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq) or spatial transcriptomics platforms.
• Experience with automated liquid handling systems or other laboratory automation platforms.
• Background understanding of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) biology, oligonucleotide therapeutics, or fibrotic disease mechanisms.

Responsibilities

• Execute preclinical cellular assays, tissue histology, nucleic acid extractions, and spatial transcriptomics protocols to generate high-quality experimental data supporting HAYA's functional genomics and lncRNA target validation pipelines.
• Execute primary cell isolation, tissue culture, and cell line maintenance (including human and mouse fibroblasts, C2C12 cells, myoblasts, and satellite cells) to establish robust in vitro disease models.
• Perform compound treatments and antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) screening protocols (including GapmeRs and siRNA) across primary cell platforms to evaluate target knocking-down efficiency and therapeutic potency.
• Isolate and process RNA, DNA, and proteins from cellular and tissue specimens using standardized extraction techniques to prepare high-integrity samples for downstream molecular profiling.
• Perform tissue processing, FFPE embedding, sectioning, and staining protocols (including immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence) to quantify fibrotic markers and evaluate tissue morphology.
• Execute spatial transcriptomics and multi-omics assay workflows in alignment with functional genomics protocols to characterize spatial gene expression in target tissues.
• Capture and analyze fluorescence microscopy images across immunostained and spatial transcriptomic tissue sections to extract qualitative and quantitative cellular insights.
• Support in vivo preclinical study workflows by assisting with tissue dissections and sample collection from skeletal mouse and disease models to supply downstream experimental workstreams.
• Maintain detailed, real-time Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) records, SOPs, and experimental documentation to ensure absolute data traceability, reproducibility, and audit readiness.
• Synthesize, analyze, and present experimental dataset summaries to internal R&D project teams and scientific leadership to inform ongoing pipeline decision-making.

Benefits

• Equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, ancestry, age, marital or familial status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.

What This Job Offers

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