Research Associate - Protein

Medra•San Francisco, CA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

We are looking for a highly hands-on Research Associate to join our team and support protein science and cell biology workflows on the Medra Physical AI platform. This is a role for someone who loves being at the bench — someone who has spent years honing their craft in a fast-paced industry lab and takes pride in rigorous, reproducible science. You will work closely with scientists and roboticists to execute, validate, and optimize protein characterization workflows and cell-based assays as part of our autonomous lab platform. You thrive when given a specific task to own end-to-end, and you bring the experience and intuition to operate independently.

Requirements

B.S. or B.A., or MS in Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline
2-4 years (M.S.) or 4–6 (B.S./B.A. )years of hands-on, industry lab experience in protein science — we value deep bench experience over advanced degrees
Demonstrated expertise in protein expression using mammalian cell lines (e.g., Expi293, ExpiCHO) and/or microbial systems
Strong hands-on experience with high-throughput protein quality control and biophysical characterization.
Experience maintaining mammalian cell lines and performing cell-based assays in an industry setting, including flow cytometry.
Strong documentation habits, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently on defined tasks
A scrappy, can-do attitude — you figure things out and get things done

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with developability assessment assays (HIC, AC-SINS, PSR, or similar)
Familiarity with analytical characterization techniques such as HPLC-SEC, HPLC-HIC, or FACS-based binding assays
Familiarity with imaging-based cell assays (e.g., high-content imaging, fluorescence microscopy)
Experience with cell-free protein expression or specialized enzyme workflows
Comfort working with lab automation or robotics platforms

Responsibilities

Execute protein expression experiments across multiple host systems (e.g., mammalian, E. coli, cell-free) at various scales, from small-scale screens to larger production runs
Run protein characterization assays, including SPR, BLI, DSF/DSC, and various developability assays.
Perform cell-based binding and functional assays to evaluate candidates against cell-surface targets and assess functional activity.
Own day-to-day operation and organization of the cell culture facility, including routine passaging using sterile technique, inventory management, and equipment maintenance.
Maintain accurate and detailed experimental records in electronic lab notebooks (ELN), and contribute to SOP development
Collaborate with scientists and cross-functional team members to ensure smooth handoffs and timely execution across the protein screening and characterization workflow.