Research Associate II, Pluvinage Lab

Arc Institute • Palo Alto, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Research Associate to join the Pluvinage Lab at the Arc Institute. Our goal is to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases. We do this by exploring undiagnosed autoimmunity in rare mystery cases and common neurodegenerative conditions alike. Starting with clinical observations and primary patient tissue, we use functional genomics, protein display technologies, and computational tools to embark on deep mechanistic dives into the contribution of autoimmunity to cognitive function. Your work will have the potential to uncover novel autoantibodies that drive cognitive decline in autoimmune encephalitis, that modulate cognitive decline in dementia, and that promote cognitive resilience in healthy brain aging.

The questions we ask:
How do autoantibodies regulate cognition?
What is the source, target, and mechanism of pathogenic autoantibodies in neurological disease?
How can we eliminate pathogenic autoantibodies while leaving the rest of the immune system intact?
How does comorbid autoimmunity contribute to cognitive decline in neurodegeneration?
Are there protective autoantibodies that promote cognitive resilience in healthy brain aging?
The approaches we take: discovery-driven projects starting with human samples (cerebrospinal fluid, PBMCs, brain tissue) from curated cohorts of patients with neurological diseases, CRISPR screens, phage display, immune repertoire sequencing.

In this role, you will work closely with senior lab members to drive high-throughput antibody discovery in autoimmune neurology and neurodegeneration. You will contribute across the full experimental workflow: designing constructs and libraries, cloning and validating reagents, executing screens across several protein display technologies, and analyzing and validating discoveries. This is a hands-on position for someone who enjoys both the precision of molecular biology and the challenge of making complex discovery workflows reproducible and scalable. Your work will help advance new diagnostic approaches from bench to bedside.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, immunology, genetics, or a related field, or equivalent relevant laboratory experience.
• 2+ years of relevant experience in an academic or industry setting (including independent lab work during your undergraduate studies).
• Hands-on research experience in molecular biology
• Demonstrated ability to execute multistep experimental protocols accurately, use appropriate controls, and maintain clear and complete laboratory records.
• Growth mindset to stretch your scientific skillset in a supportive environment, and the awareness to know when to ask for help.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills, including careful tracking of samples, reagents, and experimental conditions.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work both independently on established workflows and collaboratively with senior scientists.
• Commitment to rigorous, reproducible research and a strong interest in antibody discovery and its diagnostic applications.

Nice To Haves

• You are detail-oriented and rigorous, taking pride in well-designed experiments, reliable reagents, and reproducible results.
• You are curious and self-motivated, with a strong foundation in molecular biology and an eagerness to learn new protein display and antibody discovery technologies.
• You enjoy working across an entire experimental workflow, from sequence design and cloning to screening and data analysis.
• You are organized and able to manage multiple experiments while maintaining careful sample tracking and documentation.
• You collaborate closely with others, communicate results and challenges openly, and troubleshoot thoughtfully.
• You are passionate about translating discoveries into better diagnostics for patients with neurological disease.
• You explicitly wish to use this experience to gain entry into a PhD program and are able to provide a minimum 2-year commitment to build a portfolio of work to support you in that endeavor.

Responsibilities

• Build Discovery Reagents: Work with senior lab members to design DNA constructs and protein display libraries; perform molecular cloning, sequence verification, and quality control of constructs and libraries.
• Execute High-Throughput Screens: Prepare reagents and patient samples, carry out antibody discovery and antigen-identification workflows across multiple protein display platforms, and maintain rigorous controls and sample tracking throughout.
• Analyze and Validate Discoveries: Process screening data using established analysis workflows, assess data quality and reproducibility, and work with senior lab members to prioritize hits and validate antibody–antigen interactions using complementary assays.
• Develop and Optimize Workflows: Work with senior lab members to troubleshoot experiments, compare assay conditions, and help improve the sensitivity, specificity, throughput, and reproducibility of discovery methods.
• Maintain Research Quality: Keep complete experimental records, document protocols and analysis steps, and maintain organized inventories of samples, constructs, libraries, and reagents.
• Contribute to a Collaborative Lab: Communicate progress at lab meetings, coordinate experiments with senior lab members and collaborators, and contribute to shared lab operations, equipment maintenance, and protocol training.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree