Back to jobs

Research Associate II, Gilbert Lab

Palo Alto, CA

About Arc Institute

The Arc Institute is a new scientific institution that conducts curiosity-driven basic science and technology development to understand and treat complex human diseases. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, Arc is an independent research organization founded on the belief that many important research programs will be enabled by new institutional models. Arc operates in partnership with Stanford University, UCSF, and UC Berkeley.

 

While the prevailing university research model has yielded many tremendous successes, we believe in the importance of institutional experimentation as a way to make progress. These include:

 

  • Funding: Arc will fully fund Core Investigators’ (PIs’) research groups, liberating scientists from the typical constraints of project-based external grants.
  • Technology: Biomedical research has become increasingly dependent on complex tooling. Arc Technology Centers develop, optimize and deploy rapidly advancing experimental and computational technologies in collaboration with Core Investigators. 
  • Support: Arc aims to provide first-class support—operationally, financially and scientifically—that will enable scientists to pursue long-term high risk, high reward research that can meaningfully advance progress in disease cures, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and immune dysfunction.
  • Culture: We believe that culture matters enormously in science and that excellence is difficult to sustain. We aim to create a culture that is focused on scientific curiosity, a deep commitment to truth, broad ambition, and selfless collaboration.

 

Arc has scaled to nearly 200 people. With $650M+ in committed funding and a state of the art new lab facility in Palo Alto, Arc will continue to grow quickly in the coming years.

 

About the position

We are looking for a highly motivated, well-organized, and technically proficient Research Associate II to join the Gilbert laboratory at the Arc Institute. In this position, you will contribute to the development of new technologies for functional genomics and gain expertise in molecular biology, mammalian cell culture, and cell engineering. You will have the opportunity to work with scientists in single-cell genomics, computational biology, and CRISPR-Cas systems. The Research Associate will be expected to work independently and collaboratively with members of the Gilbert laboratory. A successful applicant will demonstrate attention to detail, an eagerness to learn new skills, and the ability to self-direct. Compensation will be competitive with industry jobs relative to experience level and background.

 

About you

  • You are excited about a broad range of scientific and research topics and have taken a variety of courses to explore your interests.
  • You are organized and detail-oriented when planning and performing experimental tasks. 
  • You think about scientific questions critically, pursuing a deep understanding of each experimental step. 
  • You thrive in a team environment, working collaboratively at a fast pace.
  • You enjoy exploring new technologies and how they enable large-scale multi-omic biological measurements.
  • You explicitly wish to use this experience to gain entry into a PhD program and are able to provide a minimum 2-year commitment to build a portfolio of work to support you in that endeavor.

 

In this position you will

  • Utilize a wide array of molecular biology techniques, such as restriction enzyme cloning, Gibson Assembly, Golden Gate Assembly, gel electrophoresis, cDNA synthesis, PCR, qPCR, bacterial transformation, DNA & RNA purification, ELISA, and NGS sample preparation
  • Gain experience in mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry, AAV & lentivirus production, cell engineering, and computational biology
  • Assist with research planning, execution, analysis, troubleshooting, and data interpretation with support from the Gilbert laboratory
  • Develop into a well-rounded researcher through reading applicable literature, taking ownership of experiments, and collaborating with Arc Scientists
  • Maintain careful records, work independently, and communicate experimental results clearly
  • Thrive in a fast-paced team environment 
  • Actively participate in journal club, lab meetings, and seminars through presentations and discussions

 

Requirements

  • BS/MS or equivalent professional experience in cell & molecular biology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or similar field. 
  • 2+ years of relevant experience in an academic or industry setting (including independent lab work during your undergraduate studies).
  • Hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques including qRT-PCR, PCR, DNA and RNA isolation, and DNA & RNA purification
  • Familiarity with scientific software (Prism/FloJo) or programming languages (Python/R) for data analysis. 
  • Display broad interest in scientific research, demonstrated through courses or research projects
  • Must have excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Must have strong attention to detail and organization skills, as well as the ability to troubleshoot experiments independently. 
  • Highly collaborative, team-oriented, Self-motivated and take ownership of projects.

 

The base salary for this position is $73,700. This amount does not include benefits or other forms of compensation.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Arc Institute’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.