Senior Research Associate

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Research Associate

Onyx Bio — Berkeley, CA (On-site)

Company Overview

Onyx is building a virtual immune system for faster and safer development of precision medicines. Our research generates rich, longitudinal multiomics data anchored in clinical context, enabling us to deeply profile the evolution of dysfunctional and healthy immune systems.

At our core, we believe that high-quality biological data is the cornerstone of scientific advancement. As our biorepository and datasets grow, we apply advanced AI to gain unprecedented insight into immune function—illuminating new frontiers in treatment and prevention.

Join us in unraveling the intricacies of biology and ushering life sciences into the AI era. Together, we will tackle immune-related diseases that once seemed intractable—and improve the lives of millions worldwide.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate to be the hands-on engine of our wet lab. You will work alongside two senior teammates—one leading R&D and assay development, the other leading platform/operations —providing the precise, reliable execution that turns precious patient samples into clean, reproducible multiomics data.

In practice, you will work across our entire operation depending on need and priority: you’ll be supporting our sample collection kit/biobanking operations at times, and also running single-cell genomics and multiomics assays to support data generation at other times. It's a wear-many-hats role—on a given day you might load a 10x chip in the morning and pack a dry-ice shipment in the afternoon—so we're looking for someone whose defining trait is precision and attention to detail at the bench, paired with initiative and ability to identify the most pressing needs to support on a day to day basis. As you grow, this role will deepen into assay development and lab automation.

Key Responsibilities

Data generation

• Run single-cell genomics workflows end-to-end: PBMC thaw and prep, 10x Chromium chip loading, library construction, and QC.

• Prepare and ship samples for external multiomics assays (proteomics, metabolomics); manage vendor handoffs, turnaround, and data return.

• Execute protocols with high precision and consistency; own the quality and reproducibility of the data you generate.

• Contribute to SOP development, optimization, and troubleshooting to continually drive down assay variability.

Kit platform and operations

• Assemble, QC, and ship biosample collection kits for mobile phlebotomy and clinical research sites.

• Collaborate with the Clinical Research team to coordinate shipping logistics for kits for member study visits

• Manage inventory and procurement: reorder points, purchasing, receiving, vendor relationships, and qualifying new suppliers.

• Perform sample intake and accessioning: receiving inbound specimens, verifying chain-of-custody, and logging samples into the biorepository.

• Support day-to-day lab readiness: equipment upkeep, consumables, freezer and inventory maps, and BSL-2 safety/PPE compliance.

Growth

• As you develop: take on greater assay-development responsibility, and help design and program automated liquid-handling workflows.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS in molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, bioengineering, or a related field, plus 3-5+ years of hands-on wet-lab experience.

• An obsession for precision at the bench—accurate, reproducible pipetting and a track record of clean, careful work.

• Hands-on experience with core molecular biology techniques (nucleic acid extraction, PCR, library prep, QC).

• Hands-on experience in cell-based workflows (washing, cell counting, etc.)

• Hands-on experience with single-cell platforms (10x Genomics Chromium; Parse, Scale Bio, or similar).

• Strong organization, reliable follow-through, and documentation discipline—you can own logistics and inventory without dropping balls.

• Comfortable wearing many hats and moving fluidly between several high priority tasks across bench science and hands-on operations.

• Able to work on-site in a BSL-2 lab handling human biospecimens.

Nice to Have Qualifications

• NGS library preparation and QC (TapeStation/Bioanalyzer, Qubit).

• Flow cytometry and cell sorting for single-cell preparation.

• Exposure to automated liquid handlers (Tecan, Hamilton), or strong interest in learning.

• Experience handling PBMCs and cryopreserved samples.

• Cold-chain shipping experience and/or IATA/DOT dangerous-goods certification (or willingness to obtain it).

• Familiarity with LIMS or sample-tracking systems.

• Basic data/computational literacy (Python or R) a plus.

Benefits & Compensation

• Competitive salary ($100k – $130k) and meaningful equity. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

• Flexible PTO policy

• Professional development opportunities

How we work together

Why not us? Why not now?

Can we do this today? We move fast and work hard because opportunities don't wait.

By any means necessary. Sometimes we need to will things into existence.

Discomfort signals growth. We embrace challenges and ambiguity—they show we're learning and evolving.

Own outcomes. Take proactive accountability; deliver without waiting to be asked.

Faster together. We move at the speed of in-person.

Equal Opportunity

Onyx is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

Compensation Range: $100K - $130K