Research Associate, NGS Assay Development, Virtual Immune System

Biohub • Chicago, IL

2h • Onsite

About The Position

Biohub is a large-scale initiative integrating frontier AI models, massive compute, and experimental capabilities to accelerate scientific discovery and cure disease. The Decoding Inflammation team, part of Biohub, focuses on developing tools for precise molecular-level measurements of inflammation in human tissues and creating early interventions. They collaborate with Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Biohub's vision is to pursue large scientific challenges, enable risky and innovative ideas, and facilitate research for scientists and clinicians. The organization is driven by technology, scientific research, and collaboration with a mission to cure or prevent all disease. Biohub is seeking a Research Associate to join the Cell Decoder team within the Virtual Immune System initiative. This is a hands-on bench role involving molecular biology, cell engineering, and genomics workflows, including bacterial and mammalian cell culture, plasmid cloning, lentiviral production, library preparation, and flow cytometry. The associate will execute and optimize experiments for a screening platform designed to map immune antigens in inflammation. This position is suited for someone who enjoys bench work, ensures reliable execution, and actively seeks process improvements, such as optimizing protocols or reorganizing inventory. The role involves building and refining protocols and offers direct mentorship within a small, experienced team, providing exposure to how AI/ML and computational approaches are shaping experimental immunology.

Requirements

• Master's degree in biology, immunology, molecular biology, or a related field with 2-4 years of hands-on research experience, or a Bachelor's with equivalent additional experience.
• Proficiency in core molecular biology and cell engineering workflows, including bacterial culture, plasmid cloning, mammalian cell line maintenance, and lentiviral production, with the ability to troubleshoot.
• Experience with flow cytometry, including sample preparation and instrument operation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail across multi-step, multi-day experimental workflows — including documentation, reagent management, and coordination.
• A proactive, ownership-oriented approach — you identify bottlenecks, propose solutions, and communicate clearly in a collaborative, cross-functional environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with next-generation sequencing library preparation or single-cell genomics platforms (particularly 10x Genomics).
• Familiarity with T cell biology, TCR biology, or high-throughput screening assays.
• Basic programming skills (Python and/or R) for data processing and QC.

Responsibilities

• Perform molecular biology workflows including bacterial culture, plasmid cloning, mini/midi preps, and construct verification to generate reagents for cell engineering experiments.
• Maintain mammalian cell lines (Jurkat, 293T, K562) including passaging, selection, and banking — serving as a reliable backbone for ongoing assay development.
• Produce and package lentiviral vectors, troubleshoot viral production workflows, and execute transduction experiments.
• Execute single-cell genomics and sequencing workflows, including 10x Genomics library preparation and next-generation sequencing library QC.
• Perform flow cytometry experiments for immune cell phenotyping and functional assays.
• Design, optimize, and troubleshoot experimental protocols and SOPs, proactively identifying bottlenecks and opportunities to improve throughput, reliability, or efficiency.
• Maintain rigorous documentation of protocols, experimental conditions, results, and reagent inventory and take ownership of lab operations logistics including ordering and cataloging.

Benefits

• Provides a generous employer match on employee 401(k) contributions to support planning for the future.
• Paid time off to volunteer at an organization of your choice.
• Funding for select family-forming benefits.
• Relocation support for employees who need assistance moving.

What This Job Offers

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