Scientist, Assay Development (Contractor)

Recursion • Salt Lake City, UT

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Contribute directly to Recursion's mission of revolutionizing drug discovery through our automation- and AI-powered platform. Develop, optimize, and validate cell-based and biochemical assays for deployment on our automated high-throughput screening platforms, enabling the construction of Recursion's Maps of Biology across diverse and often challenging human cell types. Execute assay workflows at scale, monitoring performance against defined quality metrics and flagging deviations early. Analyze experimental data rigorously to validate processes, troubleshoot systems, and drive improvement, sharing findings and collaborating with a cross-disciplinary team to refine approach and direction. Document methods, results, and protocols to a standard that allows workflows to be transferred and run reliably by others. Conduct impactful work in a matrixed environment where your insights and ideas are valued and expected.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.Sc. in Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, or a related field with 3+ years of relevant industry or equivalent laboratory experience.
• Hands-on experience developing and optimizing cell-based or biochemical assays, including mammalian cell culture and aseptic technique.
• Working knowledge of core molecular and cell biology techniques, such as transfection, nucleic acid and protein handling, and plate-based readouts.
• Experience with automated, computer-controlled laboratory instrumentation such as liquid handlers, plate readers, and imagers, in 384 and 1536-well formats.
• Demonstrated ability to move experimental work forward independently and efficiently with general direction rather than step-by-step instruction.
• Demonstrated ability to adapt and quickly learn new techniques and instrumentation.
• Careful, consistent documentation of protocols and results in an electronic lab notebook or equivalent.
• A passion for working in a fast-paced environment where you'll apply creativity and independent thinking to assay development for early-stage drug discovery.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with assay qualification concepts and statistical quality metrics, such as Z', signal-to-background, CV, and dose-response fitting.
• Comfort with computational tools for data analysis in Python, R, or equivalent.
• Experience with genetic perturbation approaches such as CRISPR or RNAi, or with omics readouts such as transcriptomics or proteomics.
• Experience working with primary or iPSC-derived cell models.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and validate cell-based and biochemical assays for deployment on our automated high-throughput screening platforms.
• Execute assay workflows at scale, monitoring performance against defined quality metrics and flagging deviations early.
• Analyze experimental data rigorously to validate processes, troubleshoot systems, and drive improvement.
• Share findings and collaborate with a cross-disciplinary team to refine approach and direction.
• Document methods, results, and protocols to a standard that allows workflows to be transferred and run reliably by others.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree