Scientist, Microglia Therapeutics Team

Retro•Redwood City, CA

About The Position

Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging, focusing on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to rejuvenate cell and tissue function. Its ultimate aim is to add 10 years to healthy human lifespan. The company is seeking an experienced, hands-on scientist for its Microglia Therapeutics team to drive discovery research in Alzheimer’s disease. The role involves developing in vitro and in vivo disease models, establishing assays, and designing and interpreting experiments to investigate the therapeutic potential of Retro’s microglial cell therapy. The position suits someone passionate about neurobiology and addressing age-related neurodegenerative disease who can work independently while collaborating across teams. The scientist will move between experimental design and bench work, troubleshoot experiments, and communicate clearly while contributing to a collaborative environment that welcomes scientific challenge and shared ideas. Retro does not use conventional job titles; new hires join as a “Member of X Team.” Depending on experience, this role could correspond to a traditional Scientist or Senior Scientist level. The posted salary range is $150,000–$190,000 per year. Total compensation also includes equity and the listed benefits.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Neuroscience, Biology, or a related field.
At least 3 years of relevant post-degree experience in academia or industry.
At least 3 years of hands-on Alzheimer’s disease research experience, including designing and using in vitro and in vivo disease models.
Strong mammalian cell culture skills and experience working with iPSC-derived neural cell types and brain organoids.
Experience developing and optimizing cell-based and molecular assays to investigate biological function or disease phenotypes.
Experience with brain tissue immunostaining, fluorescence or confocal microscopy, and quantitative image analysis, including interpreting neuronal cell morphology and Alzheimer’s disease-associated pathology.
Ability to independently design and troubleshoot experiments, critically evaluate results, and adapt approaches as new findings emerge.
Clear communication and ability to collaborate effectively.

Nice To Haves

Experience with microglial biology or differentiating iPSCs into microglia.
Experience performing CNS cell transplantation procedures.

Responsibilities

Design and execute discovery experiments to evaluate the potential of the microglial cell therapy in Alzheimer’s disease.
Culture and differentiate iPSCs into CNS cell types, troubleshooting and optimizing 2D and 3D organoid protocols for research experiments.
Develop and use 2D and 3D organoid in vitro disease models to investigate responses to Alzheimer’s disease-relevant challenges.
Design and optimize in vivo Alzheimer’s disease modeling approaches, including disease models, experimental groups, controls, time points, and readouts for evaluating microglial engraftment, function, and effects on disease-associated pathology.
Develop and optimize cellular and molecular assays to evaluate microglial function and disease-relevant phenotypes, including cytokine profiles and imaging-based readouts.
Design, troubleshoot, and perform experimental staining and fluorescence or confocal imaging of cultured cells, organoids, and brain tissue from Alzheimer’s disease in vivo models; interpret microglial morphology, engraftment, and disease-associated pathology.
Partner with histology and imaging colleagues on routine sectioning, staining, and image acquisition, providing scientific guidance on experimental methods, image quality, and interpretation.
Integrate findings across in vitro experiments and in vivo tissue studies to refine hypotheses and determine next steps.
Analyze and present experimental results to internal teams and collaborators.
Collaborate within the Microglia Therapeutics team and across Retro teams, including In Vivo, Computational Biology, and Automation.
Maintain an organized electronic lab notebook, contribute to supporting documents, and participate in lab organization and ordering.