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Senior Research Associate, In Vitro Screen Execution (Fixed-Term Contract)

Palo Alto, CA

About Arc Institute

Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.

Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone.

Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action:

  • Virtual Cell Initiative: Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets,  accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials.
  • Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes.

More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding.

Why this position could be the best job you’ve ever had 

  • Join Arc's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative as the production engine behind a first-of-its-kind 3D brain-model screening program, where the cells you make drive disease-target discovery.

About the position

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate, In Vitro Screen Execution, to join the Cellular Models Technology Center for a fixed term of 12 months to  support the execution of arrayed genetic and chemical perturbation screens in disease-relevant 3D neural models. In this position, you will play a key role in executing protocols to efficiently and reproducibly build and characterize complex 3D models of CNS cells, and leverage these to run high throughput assays and screens. Through this work, you will play a critical role in the Institute's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, an ambitious cross-functional effort aimed at identifying and developing drugs for rational therapeutic targets to combat devastating neurodegenerative disorders. This is a temporary contractor position based onsite 5 days a week in Palo Alto. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

About you

  • You love science and learning. Whether it’s gaining knowledge in new fields of scientific research or learning a new lab technique, you never stop being curious and routinely enjoy stepping out of your comfort zone to learn new things. 
  • You are highly independent in developing and executing experiments and workflow designs in line with the overall goals of the team and project. You plan and execute projects and individual experiments with independence. 
  • You can work fast and are detail-oriented. You are careful and diligent about good documentation practices and keeping things organized while moving at a rapid pace.
  • You use specialized skill sets to support lab teams and cross-functional projects. You collaborate effectively across teams without detailed guidance by your manager or mentor, including effectively engaging with people with different work styles. You directly mentor and train more junior RAs inside or outside your lab or team. 
  • You are comfortable carrying out the routine execution of tasks while identifying opportunities to troubleshoot and improve bottlenecks.
  • Your organizational skills enable you to manage multiple concurrent projects, and your curiosity and creativity drive you to continuous learning.

In this position you will

  • Execute culture, quality control and validation of complex in vitro 3D neural and glial models. 
  • Support the execution of high throughput arrayed chemical and genetic perturbation screens for the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative at Arc.
  • Leverage in vitro cell-based assays (flow cytometry, imaging, immunostaining, etc.) and molecular biology techniques to characterize the functional effects of genetic and chemically perturbed cells within these models.
  • Have a systematic approach to the execution of tasks and experiments with a focus on efficiency and reproducibility.
  • Maintain careful records in ELN (electronic lab notebook) and organize materials and reagents with detailed tracking in our LIMS system.
  • Collaborate with other teams at Arc to coordinate screening steps and sample transfer.
  • Analyze and present experimental data at internal meetings and seminars.

Requirements

  • BS degree in relevant field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or MS degree in relevant field with 2+ years of relevant postgraduate experience
  • Substantial experience culturing and maintaining human PSC-derived cell types or organoids (NPCs, neurons, astrocytes, microglia, or similar), with reliable, reproducible results.
  • Demonstrated ability to execute multiple cell culture protocols with precision and to transition between them accurately, maintaining fidelity to each protocol's specific requirements (workflow, media, and timeline).
  • Familiarity with maintaining and tracking complex in vitro co-cultures using assays such as imaging, flow cytometry, qPCR, proteomics and transcriptomics-based readouts.
  • Excellent aseptic technique and consistent cell-culture practice held to a high, production-type standard.
  • Meticulous documentation and record-keeping; comfort working to a production schedule, and basic data tracking and analysis.
  • Work onsite in our Palo Alto office 5 days per week. Occasional weekend work may be required. 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Hands-on experience handling high throughput plate formats and automation methods.
  • Experience with LIMS systems, ideally Benchling.
  • Experience analyzing large data sets preferably using data scripting tools such as Python or R.

The base salary range for this position is $84,250 to $114,250. These amounts reflect the range of base salary that the Institute reasonably would expect to pay a new hire or internal candidate for this position. The actual base compensation paid to any individual for this position may vary depending on factors such as experience, market conditions, education/training, skill level, and whether the compensation is internally equitable, and does not include bonuses, commissions, differential pay, other forms of compensation, or benefits.

 

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