Research Fellow, Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration

Graduate Research Fellow, Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration Auxilium is a biomaterials company developing solutions for tissue infections and regeneration. We are setting the stage for the next generation of biomaterials that promote effective wound healing and improve outcomes for both patients and healthcare professionals. Our mission is to heal patients from day one. The role Auxilium is seeking an exceptional, collaborative, and analytical Research Fellow in Biomaterials for Bone Regeneration to join our pioneering team. The ideal candidate has deep experience in biomaterials and surface engineering, with a focus on porous polymer or hybrid materials for bone regeneration and grafting applications. We are particularly interested in individuals who have worked on biofilm-resistant surfaces, anti‑fouling coatings, and bone regenerative scaffold materials, and who are excited about problems at the intersection of materials science, microbiology, and host–tissue integration. In this role, you will work closely with Auxilium’s founder and scientific leadership to drive hypothesis‑driven research on bone scaffolds. You will design and optimize bio‑based and polymeric materials, tune surface properties, and explore strategies to reduce bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation while preserving cell compatibility and accelerating tissue integration. Your work will involve building structure–property relationships under realistic mechanical and biological conditions, generating the mechanistic understanding and experimental evidence that underpin future implant and wound‑care products, while giving you significant ownership over the direction, methods, and depth of the research. Responsibilities Develop and optimize porous polymeric scaffolds to enhance bone regeneration. Responsibilities also include engineering coatings for additional implant‑relevant substrates such as medical‑grade metals, polymeric meshes, wound dressings, and porous scaffold architectures. Tune physicochemical properties by exploring bio‑based polymers and surface‑modification strategies to control adhesion, porosity, wetting, and diffusion pathways. Assess processing–performance relationships by systematically varying formulation and coating/drying parameters to understand their impact on coating structure, stability, and functional performance. Execute in vitro functional assays to quantify biofilm inhibition, bacterial kill curves, and microbial colonization on bone grafts. Evaluate biocompatibility via cell‑based assays to assess host response to coatings and substrate–coating combinations. Characterize materials and interfaces using appropriate analytical tools (e.g., microscopy, contact angle, mechanical testing, surface roughness). Design rigorous experiments with appropriate controls and replicates; analyze data using sound statistical methods, and refine hypotheses based on results. Maintain high‑quality documentation, including lab notebooks, protocols, and datasets, to support reproducibility, collaboration, and eventual technology transfer. Communicate scientific findings clearly, synthesizing results into figures, slide decks, and concise technical summaries for internal discussions—and, where appropriate, for manuscripts, conference abstracts, or patent filings. Requirements Current Ph.D. candidate in their 4th or 5th year or postdoctoral fellow in Materials Science, Biomedical Engineering, Polymer Science, Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related field with a strong biomaterials focus. Must have hands‑on experience testing (porous) biomaterials for bone graft applications, including scaffold/porosity characterization (e.g., pore size/interconnectivity, % porosity, permeability) and mechanical testing (e.g., compression/modulus), and in vitro cell studies relevant to bone regeneration (aseptic mammalian cell culture, cytocompatibility assays, and osteogenic evaluation such as ALP/mineralization/qPCR/immunostaining) on porous scaffolds. Familiarity with materials and surface characterization, including tools such as SEM/optical microscopy, contact angle, surface roughness, mechanical testing, swelling/degradation measurements, and/or release profiling. Exposure to microbiological assays, such as bacterial growth, biofilm formation, or antimicrobial testing. Comfortable in a fast‑moving, early‑stage environment with evolving questions, incomplete information, and iterative experimental design. Enjoys owning scientific questions end‑to‑end: literature review, hypothesis generation, protocol design, execution, analysis, and iteration. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex biomaterials experiments to both domain experts and non‑specialists. What You Will Gain Opportunity to lead an independent biomaterials research stream in implant coatings, with clear translational relevance to implants and infection prevention. Direct collaboration with founders and core technical leadership on early product concepts, experimental strategy, and technical decision‑making. Insight into how startup teams integrate materials science, microbiology, and clinical considerations to advance a technology toward real‑world use. Potential to contribute to publications, conference presentations, and/or intellectual property, aligned with your academic and career goals. A flexible fellowship structure that can be aligned, where appropriate, with your Ph.D. thesis or postdoctoral research objectives. This is a temporary position with a duration of 3 to 6 months. Seniority Level Internship Employment Type Temporary Job Function Research, Analyst, and Information Technology #J-18808-Ljbffr Auxilium Health, Inc