Research Associate, Transcriptomics (Contract)
About The Position
Empress is pioneering mechanistic intelligence for drug discovery — helping R&D teams understand what their molecules are doing, what is driving activity, what liabilities may emerge, and which candidates are best positioned to advance. By integrating multi-omics, chemoproteomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, computational inference, knowledge graphs, and CRISPR-based functional validation, Empress turns biological complexity into clearer development decisions. Our platform gives discovery teams access to capabilities that would otherwise require years, specialized infrastructure, and rare cross-functional expertise to build internally. Empress is a privately held biotech conceived by Flagship Pioneering, which brings the courage, long-term vision, and resources needed to realize unreasonable results. We're looking for a Research Associate II to join the Genomics team and own day-to-day operations of our automated high-throughput bulk RNA sequencing platform. The bulk-Tx platform is a core component of Empress's Integromyx platform, generating the transcriptomic data that drives mechanistic insights across our drug discovery programs. This is a hands-on role with end-to-end responsibility for someone who wants to build deep technical expertise in NGS and functional genomics.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s (and 2-4 years of relevant academic/industry experience) or Master’s degree (and 0-2 years) in biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, or a related field
- Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to data integrity
Nice To Haves
- Prior experience with RNA extraction and QC (e.g., NanoDrop, Bioanalyzer)
- Familiarity with NGS library preparation workflows or sequencing platforms (e.g., Illumina)
- Experience with RT-qPCR or basic molecular cloning
- Experience in a high-throughput or production-style lab environment
- Proficiency with ELN or LIMS systems
Responsibilities
- Operate and maintain the automated high-throughput bulk RNA-seq platform end-to-end
- Perform RNA extraction from diverse sample types following established protocols
- Execute RNA quality control assessments and library preparation for NGS, including QC steps
- Set up and support sequencing runs on a next-generation sequencing instrument
- Design and execute RT-qPCR experiments
- Maintain accurate records of experimental workflows, sample metadata, and QC metrics in the ELN/LIMS
- Maintain mammalian cell cultures and perform cell treatments to generate samples for the bulk-Tx platform
- Coordinate timely sample handoff from cell culture to downstream RNA processing
Benefits
- Certain employee benefits may be available to the contractor through the staffing company after meeting minimum criteria.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Associate degree
