SPR Specialist

Ellison Medical Institute•Los Angeles, CA

17d•$87,000 - $115,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Ellison Medical Institute is seeking a Specialist in Biophysical Characterization with strong expertise in Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to support and advance peptide and protein discovery programs. This individual will independently design, execute, and interpret SPR-based binding and kinetic studies, including assay development, ligand immobilization strategy selection, and data modeling. The role will also contribute to peptide and protein production activities, including expression, purification, and sample quality assessment, to support high-quality biophysical studies. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional discovery teams, provide scientific insight to drive project decisions, and support instrument optimization, troubleshooting, and best-practice development.

Requirements

2-4 years of hands-on experience performing SPR experiments using Biacore platform
Demonstrated ability to independently design SPR assays, assess data quality, and interpret results in biological context
Experience working with peptides and/or proteins in a discovery research environment
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Excellent documentation, communication, and teamwork abilities
Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary research setting
Bachelor’s in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field

Nice To Haves

Experience with complementary biophysical techniques (e.g., BLI, ITC, DSF)
Experience with peptide synthesis or protein expression and purification workflows
Master’s of Science preferred

Responsibilities

SPR Assay Development: Independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize SPR assays using Biacore instruments.
Data Analysis and Scientific Interpretation: Analyze and interpret SPR data within the appropriate biological and biophysical context, critically evaluating binding kinetics, fitting models, controls, and experimental assumptions to generate decision-ready data for discovery and lead-selection efforts.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with design, discovery, analytical, and biology teams to align peptide and protein synthesis outputs with experimental requirements, and provide scientific insights to support downstream evaluation. On a limited basis provide hands-on support for peptide synthesis and protein expression and purification as needed.
Documentation and Communication: Maintain clear, accurate, and reproducible documentation of experimental procedures and results, and effectively communicate findings and recommendations to project teams.
Scientific Culture & Standards: Contribute to a team culture that values scientific rigor, efficiency, transparency, innovation, collaboration, and accountability, while upholding high scientific and technical standards.