Research Scientist II

Seattle Children's Hospital•Seattle, WA

12h

About The Position

The Oda Laboratory at Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) engineers immunotherapies to address treatment resistance in cancers including AML and RMS. Based in the Ben Towne Center for Childhood Cancer Research, the lab develops synthetic receptors, improves adoptive T-cell therapies such as CAR and TCR T cells, and studies how to reprogram immune cells to function within immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. The Research Scientist II will join a collaborative, translational team advancing cell therapies from laboratory discovery toward clinical impact. The researcher independently evaluates and applies scientific procedures and contributes to planning, designing, executing, and interpreting in vitro and in vivo experiments. The role includes careful data collection and analysis, maintaining electronic laboratory records, troubleshooting protocols, and helping prepare manuscripts, technical reports, grant proposals, and presentations. The position also supports shared laboratory operations, safety practices, and training of junior personnel, trainees, and students.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an engineering or scientific discipline; a master’s degree may be required for certain laboratory specialties.
At least two years of experience in a related area or laboratory setting.
Extensive hands-on mammalian cell culture experience, including sterile technique and primary human or murine immune cell isolation, activation, expansion, and cryopreservation.
Proficiency in multicolor flow cytometry, including design of panels with eight or more colors and analysis using FlowJo.
Experience with viral transduction or non-viral gene delivery, and downstream in vitro functional assays such as cytotoxicity, cytokine profiling, or proliferation assays.
Routine experience with PCR, vector cloning, plasmid preparation, and gel electrophoresis.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in an applicable field or research specialty is highly preferred.
Significant experience conducting research in the area of specialization.
Some experience with laboratory management.
Experience with immunocompromised or syngeneic murine models, adoptive cell transfer, tumor inoculations, and bioluminescent imaging (IVIS).
Familiarity with single-cell RNA sequencing preparation protocols or high-dimensional spectral profiling.
Working knowledge of Prism, FlowJo, and electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN).

Responsibilities

Evaluate, select, and apply standardized and advanced scientific procedures.
Contribute to the planning, design, execution, and interpretation of in vitro and in vivo experiments.
Make detailed observations, analyze complex datasets, maintain rigorous electronic laboratory records, and troubleshoot experimental protocols.
Assist in preparing research manuscripts, technical reports, grant proposals, and scientific presentations.
Present research findings and progress at internal laboratory meetings and external technical conferences.
Maintain shared laboratory operations and uphold high safety standards.
Participate in training and guiding junior laboratory personnel, trainees, and students.