Senior Scientist - Placenta Biology

e184•Portland, OR

14h

About The Position

About us e184 Artificial Womb is a biotechnology research company dedicated to advancing ectogenesis - the ability to support human development outside the body - to expand reproductive freedom and redefine what is possible in medicine. Our mission is to remove the biological constraints that limit who can safely carry a pregnancy, enabling new pathways to parenthood for individuals facing medical risk, infertility, or physiological barriers to gestation. We operate at the intersection of biology, engineering, and computational science, building integrated platforms that combine advanced tissue models, adaptive culture systems, and automated experimental workflows to understand and recreate the conditions required for healthy human gestation beyond the uterus. Role overview As a Senior Scientist at e184 Artificial Womb, you will lead research focused on translating in vivo placental biology into experimentally tractable model systems that inform the development of functional placental platforms for ex utero gestation. Your work will center on applying mechanistic understanding of placental development, structure, and maternal–fetal exchange to guide the design and optimization of placental organoid and co-culture models capable of supporting perfusion and sustained fetal development. You will drive experimental strategy from biological discovery through model validation, working closely with tissue engineers, biomaterials scientists, and perfusion engineers to integrate placental biology into engineered systems. This is a highly hands-on leadership role for a scientist with deep expertise in placental development who is excited to translate fundamental reproductive biology into next-generation experimental platforms within a fast-moving, interdisciplinary startup environment.

Requirements

PhD in Placenta Biology, Developmental Biology, Reproductive Biology, Cell Biology, or a related field with postdoctoral experience, or 7+ years of relevant industry or academic experience
Demonstrated expertise in placental development and trophoblast biology
Strong understanding of maternal–fetal interface biology and placental physiology
Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and placental model systems
Experience designing and executing independent experimental research programs
Familiarity with histological and molecular approaches for studying placental development
Ability to lead complex interdisciplinary research efforts
Strong organizational and documentation skills
Comfort working in a fast-paced, iterative startup environment

Nice To Haves

Experience developing or working with placental organoids or advanced in vitro placental models
Expertise in trophoblast stem cell biology and differentiation
Experience studying placental vascularization or nutrient transport mechanisms
Hands-on histology experience, including tissue processing, sectioning, staining, and microscopy-based analysis
Experience with transcriptomic, single-cell, or spatial omics approaches in developmental systems
Familiarity with perfusion or microphysiological culture platforms
Experience translating in vivo biological findings into engineered or experimental systems
Prior startup or early-stage technology development experience

Responsibilities

Translate in vivo placental biology: Apply knowledge of placental development, trophoblast differentiation, and maternal–fetal exchange to define biological requirements for engineered placental systems.
Develop placental organoid models: Establish and optimize placental organoid and co-culture systems that recapitulate structural, cellular, and signaling features of developing placenta.
Guide functional platform development: Inform the design of perfusion-compatible models that enable nutrient, gas, and signaling exchange required for sustained fetal development.
Characterize placental structure and function: Use imaging, histology, molecular profiling, and functional assays to evaluate trophoblast differentiation, vascular interactions, and transport capacity.
Define developmental signaling environments: Identify molecular pathways and extracellular cues that regulate placental maturation and integrate findings into experimental platform design.
Drive interdisciplinary collaboration: Work closely with tissue engineering, hydrogel, and perfusion teams to translate biological insight into engineered solutions supporting long-term development.