Senior Scientist
Deciphr Health
About Us Deciphr Health is a seed-stage biotech developing programmable DNA nanostructures for next-generation point-of-care diagnostics. Our first clinical application targets preeclampsia screening — a condition that affects 1 in 25 pregnancies with no adequate rapid test. We're building from our R&D lab in San Carlos, CA.
The Role You'll own the aptamer discovery pipeline end-to-end: from SELEX campaign design through NGS-based candidate selection to biochemical characterization of lead binders. This is a hands-on bench role with high autonomy — you'll be the team's go-to expert on nucleic acid selection, modification, and bioconjugation. You'll also contribute to our broader DNA nanostructure platform (with internal training provided).
What You'll Do
- Design and run SELEX campaigns (affinity-based and capture-release formats) against clinically relevant protein targets
- Perform site-specific bioconjugation of oligonucleotides to proteins, fluorophores, and surface chemistries
- Purify and QC modified oligos and conjugates (HPLC, FPLC, spin-column)
- Prepare and manage NGS libraries to identify top aptamer candidates from selection rounds
- Monitor selections via qPCR/RT-PCR and develop binding validation assays
- Support fabrication and testing of DNA nanodevices following internal protocols
What We're Looking For
- PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, or related field — or MS with 3–5+ years of hands-on industry experience
- Deep, demonstrated expertise in SELEX (not just familiarity — you've run campaigns)
- Strong oligo handling skills: purification, chemical modification, conjugation chemistry
- Proficiency with HPLC, qPCR, and NGS library prep workflows
- Comfort working in a startup environment with minimal infrastructure and high ownership
Nice to Have
- Exposure to DNA nanotechnology or structural DNA assembly
- Experience with phage display, cell-SELEX, or tissue-based selections
- HPLC instrument maintenance and troubleshooting
Compensation Base salary commensurate with experience + meaningful early-stage equity.
Location San Carlos, CA (on-site; this is a lab-based role).
Vacancy posted 4 days ago
Similar jobs that could be interesting for youBased on the Senior Scientist in San Mateo, CA vacancy
$278.53k - $345.04k
...industry and communities where applicable and be ambassador for Roblox. You have: You have 7+ (for principal) or 4+ (for senior) years of experience designing and building scalable machine learning solutions. Experienced with transformer based model training,...SeniorFull timeWork experience placementH1bWork at officeLocal areaVisa sponsorshipMonday to FridayRoblox
San Mateo, CA2 days ago$263.67k - $322.82k
Every day, tens of millions of people come to Roblox to explore, create, play, learn, and connect with friends in 3D immersive digital experiences- all created by our global community of developers and creators. At Roblox, we’re building the tools and platform that empower...SeniorFull timeWork experience placementH1bWork at officeLocal areaVisa sponsorshipMonday to FridayRoblox
San Mateo, CA16 hours ago- ...Senior Andrologist (California CLS Required) – Fertility Clinic Job Summary The Senior Andrologist is responsible for performing... .... Licensure ~ Active California Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) License issued by the California Department of Public...SeniorWeekend workEarly shift
Confidential
San Mateo, CA16 hours ago $138.1k - $172.6k
...molecular level to help inform personalized health care decisions with a non-invasive test. We are looking for a highly motivated Senior Scientist with a strong focus on reagent and process optimization to join the Early Cancer Detection product development team, joining...SeniorImmediate startWorldwideNatera
San Carlos, CA4 days ago$142.2k - $177.7k
...Senior Clinical Scientist, Oncology United States Position Summary: We are seeking a Senior Clinical Scientist, Oncology to drive clinical development strategy and trial execution for our molecular residual disease (MRD) monitoring portfolio. This ownership role...SeniorContract workImmediate startWorldwide$168.6k - $313k
...The Opportunity We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Medicinal Chemist (Senior Principal Scientist) to lead and mentor a multidisciplinary team in our Peptide Therapeutics department. The role will focus on advancing peptide therapeutics from discovery through...SeniorLocal areaRelocation packageF. Hoffmann-La Roche AG
South San Francisco, CA2 days ago$147.8k - $320.2k
Genentech is looking for a highly motivated Senior/Principal Machine Learning Scientist in South San Francisco. This role is pivotal in developing machine learning models for drug discovery, requiring a deep understanding of perturbation data and collaboration with diverse...Senior$147.8k - $320.2k
F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is looking for a highly motivated Senior/Principal Machine Learning Scientist to join their Perturbation Biology group in South San Francisco. This role involves developing advanced machine learning models to enhance drug discovery processes. The...Senior- A leading biopharmaceutical company located in South San Francisco is looking for a Senior Scientist or Principal Scientist to join their Synthetic Molecule Analytical Chemistry group. The role requires a PhD in relevant sciences with industry experience and a proven track...SeniorRelocation package
$147k - $191k
...A biotechnology company focused on neurodegenerative diseases is seeking a Senior Scientist in South San Francisco. The role involves developing and validating in-vitro screening assays and optimizing oligonucleotide therapeutics. Ideal candidates will have a Ph.D. in...SeniorDenali Therapeutics
South San Francisco, CA2 days ago$95k - $115k
JLSa2 Therapeutics, Inc. in South San Francisco is looking for a motivated Senior/Research Associate to join the Analytical Developability team. This role focuses on evaluating the developability of antibody-peptide conjugate candidates through rigorous characterization...Senior- Scorpion Therapeutics seeks a Principal Scientist in South San Francisco to advance its drug discovery portfolio, with a focus on pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD). The role involves quantitative analyses, collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams, and model...Senior
$104.7k - $194.4k
Genentech is seeking a qualified expert in Stem Cell Biology to lead the translation of exploratory research assays into reliable methods. This role focuses on ensuring product safety and consistency, with responsibilities including the development of critical assays and...SeniorRelocation package$90k - $120k
Planet Pharma Group in South San Francisco is seeking an experienced professional for the technical execution of bioanalytical programs. The role involves managing assay methods for quantifying transgene expression, detecting immunogenicity, and measuring biomarkers. The...Senior- Initial Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Principal Scientist in South San Francisco, California to enhance drug development through quantitative analysis in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. This role includes responsibilities such as implementing mathematical modeling...SeniorFlexible hours
$124.3k - $265.9k
F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is seeking a Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist specializing in synthetic molecule analytical chemistry in South San Francisco, California. The role involves troubleshooting analytical methods and contributing to regulatory submissions. Ideal...Senior- Initial Therapeutics, Inc. in South San Francisco is seeking a Senior Scientist specializing in siRNA Bioanalysis & Mechanistic Studies. The successful candidate will engage in bioanalytical research to advance siRNA therapeutics and will require expertise in ADME, pharmacokinetics...Senior
- AbbVie seeks a highly motivated scientist for the Quantitative, Translational ADME Sciences department in South San Francisco. The role involves developing and implementing bioanalytical methods including LC/MS, supporting in vivo and in vitro studies. Candidates should...Senior
$95k - $115k
Valid8 Financial, Inc. is hiring a Senior/Research Associate in South San Francisco. This role involves evaluating antibody-peptide conjugate candidates through biophysical assays, data analysis, and collaboration with various teams. The ideal candidate will have a BS...Senior- Scorpion Therapeutics in South San Francisco is seeking a highly skilled scientist to lead internal mass spectrometry and extended characterization activities. This role focuses on large molecule CMC programs and supports both early and late phase analytical development...Senior
- Atlas Data Storage, Inc. in South San Francisco is seeking a motivated Sr. Scientist in Electrochemical DNA Synthesis. This role involves designing and implementing experiments while focusing on high-throughput, massively parallel platforms combining synthetic DNA storage...Senior
$147k - $191k
Denali Therapeutics Inc in South San Francisco seeks an experienced professional to lead mass spectrometry and characterization activities for large molecule CMC. The role involves developing strategies for product characterization, maintaining lab records, and overseeing...Senior- Freenome is seeking a Senior Research Associate in Brisbane, California, to grow their Genomics Assay Development team. The role involves developing assay technologies for early cancer detection using next-generation sequencing. Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor's...Senior
$124.3k - $230.9k
...Overview We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist or Principal Scientist with a strong record of laboratory innovation and technical depth to join our Synthetic Molecule Analytical Chemistry (SMAC) group. The successful candidate will thrive at the bench and...SeniorLocal areaRelocation packageF. Hoffmann-La Roche AG
South San Francisco, CA2 days ago- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is looking for a highly motivated Senior Scientist or Principal Scientist in South San Francisco. The successful candidate will design and troubleshoot analytical methods, applying expertise in mass spectrometry and chromatography to support drug...Senior
$156k - $166k
insitro is seeking a Senior Scientist for its cardiac disease biology team in South San Francisco. This pivotal role involves working on iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte models to advance our ML-driven drug discovery efforts. You will design experiments, optimize workflows,...SeniorFlexible hours- Scorpion Therapeutics is seeking a highly skilled professional to lead purification and downstream process characterization. This role requires extensive experience in biochemistry, with a PhD needed and over 10 years in related fields. Key responsibilities include authoring...Senior
- insitro is looking for a highly motivated scientist for oligonucleotide drug discovery in South San Francisco. The candidate will design and optimize oligonucleotides while collaborating cross-functionally with experts in diverse fields. A PhD in a relevant scientific discipline...Senior
- Merck & Co. is seeking a Scientist/Sr Scientist/Staff Scientist in South San Francisco to lead research in DNA synthesis and molecular biology. You'll design experiments, analyze data, and collaborate with experts to drive innovative projects. Candidates should possess...Senior
$124.3k - $230.9k
...more time with the people we love. That what makes us Genentech! Overview The Opportunity: We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist or Principal Scientist with a strong record of laboratory innovation and technical depth to join our Synthetic Molecule Analytical...SeniorLocal areaRelocation packageGenentech
South San Francisco, CA3 days ago
Do you want to receive more vacancies?
Subscribe and receive similar vacancies to Senior Scientist. Be the first to apply!
Related searches
- lab scientist San Mateo, CA
- research scientist - biology San Mateo, CA
- drug safety scientist San Mateo, CA
- machine learning scientist San Mateo, CA
- scientist immunology San Mateo, CA
- support scientist San Mateo, CA
- water quality scientist San Mateo, CA
- scientist San Mateo, CA
- safety scientist San Mateo, CA
- research scientist San Mateo, CA