Research Associate II/III (Cell Therapy)

Our client is seeking a mid-level Research Associate to join their Cell Therapy group, focusing on the development of the next generation of cellular therapies. The successful candidate will contribute to the advancement of the CAR Treg platform. The environment is teamwork-oriented, exciting, fast-paced, and offers the opportunity to directly impact the clinical translation of genome editing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: 

• Isolation of primary human T (and ideally Treg) cells and their maintenance in tissue culture. Perform lentiviral transduction or in vitro electroporation to achieve gene editing and CAR expression.
• Perform multiparameter flow cytometry analysis of Zinc Finger Nuclease-edited cells and/or CAR-expressing cells. Develop robust new panels for phenotyping and other flow-based immunoassays.
• Perform functional analysis of edited Tregs, including suppression assays, activation, and reporter assays. Cell sorting experience is a plus.
• Perform gene expression analyses by RT-PCR or related methods.
• Clone new constructs and produce lentiviral vectors, including the production of lentiviruses and titration.
• Support lab management and infrastructure.
• Document methods, maintain laboratory notebooks and databases.
• Make detailed observations, summarize data, present progress to the project team and/or other groups
• Maintain a high level of professional expertise through familiarity with scientific literature. Investigate, create, and develop new methods and technologies to address research challenges for project advancement

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS REQUIREMENTS:

• B.Sc. or M.Sc. in a scientific discipline (preferably immunology or molecular and cell biology) with at least 2+ years of experience. The level will be dependent upon education, skills, and experience.
• Highly proficient with aseptic cell culture techniques and cell-based assays using primary human cells. Experience in Treg cell isolation and functional assessment is a plus.
• Proficient in multiparameter flow cytometry and experienced in applying rigorous, standardized methods to generate high-quality data using FlowJo.
• Proficient in molecular methods such as cloning, nucleic acid extraction, PCR. Illumina sequencing experience is a plus.
• Proficient in the use of computer programs for sequencing and DNA construct generation, data analysis, and assembly (e.g. Geneious or similar, MS Excel, MS Powerpoint).