Research Associate, Applied Cell Line Development & Customer Programs

Prolific Machines•Emeryville, CA

1d•$72,500 - $117,500•Onsite

About The Position

Prolific Machines is seeking a motivated, detail-oriented Research Associate to advance mammalian cell line development and protein production capabilities. The company uses light to control biotherapeutic protein expression, aiming to increase titer and improve quality attributes. The role contributes to generating and characterizing cell lines for internal research and customer programs. The successful candidate will perform hands-on laboratory work, deliver consistent, high-quality results, and collaborate with scientists and engineers across disciplines in a fast-paced startup environment. There are opportunities to expand technical expertise, take on increasing ownership, and contribute to company success. The position is based on-site at the company’s headquarters in Emeryville, California. The role is salaried, exempt, and paid semi-monthly. Starting salary depends on experience, knowledge, skillset, and level. The listed salary range is $72,500–$117,500 per year, with typical ranges of $72,500–$87,500 for Research Associate I, $87,500–$102,500 for Research Associate II, and $102,500–$117,500 for Senior Research Associate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Bioengineering, Biotechnology, or a related field, with relevant laboratory experience in mammalian cell culture.
Proficiency in mammalian cell culture; experience in cell line development is preferred. Must be well versed in sterile technique, transfection, and clone isolation.
Comfort with readouts such as cell counting, metabolite measurement, Octet BLI, and flow cytometry.
Ability to develop and propose experimental plans, conduct experiments, and troubleshoot analytical techniques and methodologies.
Ability to precisely follow protocols, design and execute experiments independently, and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced setting.
Self-starter committed to team science and effective independent work.
Strong organizational skills and interest in creating and maintaining organizational infrastructure for lab experiments and data analysis.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Enthusiasm for a fast-paced startup environment and comfort with evolving project scopes and shifting priorities.

Nice To Haves

Experience in mammalian cell line development.
Experience with small-scale bioreactors such as the Ambr system.
Experience with single-cell isolation methods such as FACS, cell deposition, or Beacon.
Experience with plasmid cloning, PCR, and ddPCR.

Responsibilities

Own and drive mammalian cell culture workflows, primarily using suspension HEK and suspension CHO cells.
Generate stable cell lines through transfection, including electroporation, and selection; serve as the primary technical owner of multiple genetically distinct cell lines.
Perform protein production workflows at different scales, including deep-well plates and shake flasks, and potentially small-scale bioreactors such as the Ambr system.
Perform downstream readouts including cell counting using Celleca or NucleoCounter, metabolite measurements using Nova or CEDEX, Octet BLI, and flow cytometry.
Perform single-cell isolation using methods such as FACS, cell deposition, or Beacon.
Execute plasmid cloning and molecular biology techniques, including PCR and ddPCR.
Conduct experiments independently; collect and analyze data in a timely manner; maintain detailed documentation in electronic lab notebooks; and visualize and present data in team meetings.