Scientist I - T-Cell Engineering & Functional Assays

Title: Scientist I – T-Cell Engineering & Functional Assays

Location: San Diego, CA 92111 (Onsite)

Job Duration: 07 Months Contract + (Highest possibilities of Extension)

If you think you are the right match for the following opportunity, apply after reading the complete description.

Job Description:

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Contract Wet Lab Scientist to join our Discovery Biology team. This role is central to a high-priority binder screening campaign, where you will be responsible for executing the bench-level assays required to identify and validate novel therapeutic candidates for T-cell-based therapies.

Role Overview:

The successful candidate will serve as a core operator within our screening funnel, focusing on the transition from binder discovery to functional validation. This is a contract position (typically 6–12 months) designed for a scientist who thrives at the bench and excels in the fast-paced environment of a drug discovery campaign. The primary objective is to characterize the potency, specificity, and safety of candidate binders—such as scFvs or VHHs—within the context of engineered T-cell responses.

Key Responsibilities:

• A significant portion of this role involves the non-viral engineering of T cells.

• You will be responsible for delivering genetic material (such as mRNA or transposon-based DNA systems) into primary human T cells using advanced electroporation or nucleofection platforms.

• Following transfection, you will monitor cell viability and recovery, ensuring high-efficiency expression of synthetic receptors before proceeding to functional testing.

• Beyond engineering, you will execute high-throughput screening assays to assess binder affinity and functionality.

• This includes maintaining and expanding primary human T cells and Jurkat cell lines using impeccable aseptic techniques.

• You will perform multi-color flow cytometry (FACS) to evaluate surface expression levels and phenotypic markers, using software like FlowJo to analyze and interpret the resulting data.

• Functional characterization is a critical component of this campaign.

• You will be expected to run a variety of assays to measure T-cell activation, including cytotoxicity assays (using IncuCyte live-cell imaging or LDH release) and cytokine profiling via ELISA, MSD, or Luminex.

• You will also track T-cell proliferation using dyes like CFSE.

• All experimental procedures, including precise protocol deviations and raw data, must be recorded meticulously in an Electronic Lab Notebook (ELN) to ensure data integrity for regulatory filings.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Candidates should possess a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Bioengineering, or a related biological science.

• We require at least 2 years of hands-on wet lab experience, preferably within an industry setting.

• Mastery of aseptic technique and experience in isolating primary T cells from PBMCs is essential.

• Expertise in flow cytometry acquisition and analysis is a non-negotiable requirement for this role.

• Preference will be given to candidates who have direct experience with non-viral transfection methods and those who are comfortable using liquid-handling robotics to scale screening efforts. xhyhwjd

• Strong communication skills are vital, as you will be expected to present clear, data-driven updates during weekly campaign sprint meetings.