Scientist, Surface Chemistry

Element Biosciences•San Diego, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness. We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist to join our surface chemistry team and contribute to the development of innovative new products in the field of next-generation sequencing and multiomics applications. In this role, you will lead technical execution within defined projects, contribute original ideas, and collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to translate research concepts into robust, manufacturable products. This role will report to the Director, Surface Chemistry and will be a San Diego based role.

Requirements

PhD in chemistry, materials science, biochemistry, bioengineering, physics, or a related field
Solid foundational knowledge of surface chemistry, polymer chemistry, and biomolecule–surface interactions is required

Nice To Haves

0-2 years of relevant industry or postdoctoral experience in surface chemistry, materials science, or biomolecular interfaces in life sciences or diagnostics is a plus; recent PhD graduates are encouraged to apply
Strong publication and presentation record demonstrating research rigor and depth; patent or novel-method contributions are a plus
Working understanding of cell biology, especially cell adhesion and extracellular matrix interactions
Exposure to functional coatings for cell-based/biological assays in microfluidics or lab-on-chip devices is a plus
Background in NGS, genomics, proteomics, or multiomics platforms is a plus
Familiarity with surface analytical techniques such as AFM, ellipsometry, FTIR, SEM, TOF-SIMS, and XPS is a plus
General awareness of manufacturing constraints, process transfer, or scale-up considerations

Responsibilities

Contribute to the design, development, and evaluation of surface chemistry approaches to support next-generation sequencing/multiomics applications
Design and execute experiments, with guidance from senior scientists, to evaluate cell–material interfaces using relevant in vitro models
Support defined product development efforts, including experimental design, prototyping, functional testing, and data analysis
Assist in troubleshooting performance issues related to surface fouling, non-specific binding, or cell compatibility
Help identify and address experimental challenges related to assay design, protocol execution, reagent selection, and surface performance
Assist in the transfer of surface chemistry solutions from research into product development and manufacturing, in collaboration with process development and operations teams
Maintain hands-on involvement in laboratory experimentation and troubleshooting throughout the development lifecycle
Contribute ideas and technical insight to early-stage concept development and feasibility assessments
Contribute technical input to invention disclosures and patent applications, under the guidance of the IP legal team and senior technical leadership
Collaborate with colleagues in product management, assay development, engineering, and manufacturing to support alignment and successful execution
Prepare and deliver clear technical reports and presentations that summarize findings, support decision-making, and document development progress
Operate with growing independence in experimental planning, execution, and data interpretation, with guidance and mentorship from senior scientists
Apply sound scientific judgment to novel or ambiguous technical challenges, escalating and collaborating with senior team members as needed
Help identify risks, knowledge gaps, and opportunities, and contribute data-driven recommendations within defined project scope
Communicate with clarity across disciplines to support alignment and effective collaboration