Associate Scientist, Viral Vector Production

TITLE

Associate Scientist, Viral Vector Production

WHAT YOU WILL ACHIEVE

The Associate Scientist, Viral Vector Production, will directly support Addgene’s mission by producing viral particles in order to help maintain and diversify Addgene’s viral vector inventory and expand our service. This position will also be responsible for optimizing and troubleshooting lab processes and workflows, training lab technicians as well as aiding lab technicians with production tasks.

POSITION REPORTS TO

Associate Director of Viral Vector & Antibody Production

APPROXIMATE START DATE

ASAP

SALARY

$73,000 - 78,000 annually + our amazing benefits (see below)!

LOCATION & POLICY ON REMOTE WORK

This position will work out of our Watertown, Massachusetts Headquarters. Our beautiful office space has free, ample parking with a complimentary shuttle from Harvard Square and is on multiple bus lines, with the cost of public transit covered by Addgene for those onsite at least twice a week. The Role: In this position, you will support the Viral Vector and Antibody Production Team by producing viral particles for order fulfillment and perform viral vector quality control assays in order to meet the growing demands of the scientific community. You will ensure that processes and pipelines are optimized and team members are proficiently trained in advanced technical skills. To Succeed in this Role, You Will: Produce two or more designated formats of viral vectors or recombinant proteins (e.g., AAV, lentivirus, or antibodies) from expression plasmids using a dynamic production schedule. Conduct quality control testing on produced materials to ensure they meet established specifications and standards. Organize and track samples during production and storage. Serve as the primary point of contact for two or more designated laboratory operations task (e.g., inventory management and restocking, solution preparation, coordination of QC assays, and other routine lab activities) while providing support across all other tasks as needed. Provide expert troubleshooting for standard molecular biology issues, equipment malfunctions or experimental challenges that arise during production. Identify, develop and test solutions as necessary. Strictly adhere to team processes and protocols and seek opportunities to enhance workflows. Actively contribute to team discussions in biweekly meetings, providing updates, addressing challenges, and suggesting improvements. Support mentoring and training of new teammates on established protocols and procedures Create and continually review team standard operating procedures. Act as a subject matter expert in a specific process or area. Skills and Competencies MS in Biological Sciences or other life science with 0-2 years related experience or BA/BS with 2+ years related experience Excellent tissue culture skills Experience with viral vector production production In-depth knowledge of laboratory techniques and best practices Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail Able to manage multiple tasks efficiently Self-motivated, proactive with desire for continuous improvement Strong leadership skills with ability to communicate complex information succinctly Ability to adapt to changing lab priorities, new technologies, or unforeseen challenges, finding innovative ways to manage them. Familiarity with general computer software, Google Workspace, and MS Office Must be able to communicate effectively in English; strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills required Able to start between 7:30 - 8:30 am on certain days of the week Benefits At Addgene, we prioritize our people with comprehensive benefits that support both your work and your life. Full-time employees receive: 85% company-paid healthcare premiums including dental (extending to family members) and 100% company-paid deductible Life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance. 22 days of PTO on top of our winter break closure and company holidays. ‌ A 403(b) retirement account with a company match of 4% after 2 years of employment. ‌ Annual professional development stipend Annual lifestyle stipend Fully paid public transportation for employees who work onsite four or more days per week. ‌ Onsite yoga classes & wellness reimbursement Pet insurance Annual financial planning one-on-ones with our plan administrator The Organization: Addgene is a self-sustaining, thriving nonprofit life sciences organization that was created to help scientists share DNA-based research materials called plasmids. ‌Our mission is to accelerate research and discovery by improving access to useful research materials and information. Since its founding in 2004, Addgene has grown and innovated in order to assist the research community by archiving and sharing useful DNA-based research materials and resources (such as plasmids, viral vectors, and recombinant antibodies) with scientists worldwide. Broad availability of these unique research materials promotes the advancement of research in a wide variety of disciplines, including cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders, while increasing collaboration within the scientific community. Learn more here from one of our founders, Melina Fan. As an “Addgenie”, you will work collaboratively with internal teams to help fulfill this mission, including scientists, software engineers and product developers, renowned customer support teams, scientific content creators, and business development professionals. Together, Addgenies create and enhance opportunities for research scientists to deposit their materials, find products and resources easily on our website, and receive unparalleled support in receiving and expertly using our materials in their own experiments. Life at Addgene: Addgene is a truly special place to work. We are an inclusive and welcoming group of people from many backgrounds and perspectives. We believe in flexibility, actively supporting professional development, and a strong work/life balance. We value sharing ideas and feedback with each other and the company. Learn more about Life at Addgene We also believe it's important to make time for fun, whether it's eating popcorn at our outdoor movie night, sharing cute photos in the #pets slack channel, or sampling whiskeys at our end-of-year social hour. Bookworms, athletes, gamers, parents, foodies, and more will find community in Addgene's events and Slack channels. Addgene works with a global scientific community in which the best innovations and discoveries come from diverse teams. We continuously learn from and celebrate a variety of perspectives and seek to create an environment where all people can feel heard, respected, and valued. Addgene is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, active military or veteran status, age, handicap, or any other characteristic protected by Federal, State or Local law.