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Scientist Contractor- Translational Biology

Morrisville, North Carolina, United States

Position Summary: 

 We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Contract Scientist – Translational Biology to support mechanistic hypothesis testing and sample generation for rilparencel, our autologous kidney cell therapy currently being evaluated in a Phase 3 clinical study, as well as next-generation cell therapy programs. This role will focus on primary human tissue/cell culture models (BSL-2) and the execution of multi-condition studies that generate high-quality samples for downstream molecular and NGS-based readouts. In partnership with the Translational Biology team, this scientist will contribute to experimental design and method development for workflows involving small human biopsy-derived samples, with an emphasis on reproducible execution, rigorous sample tracking, and clear communication of results.  

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: 

Primary Human Tissue Culture (BSL-2) & Model Execution 

  • Establish, maintain, and troubleshoot primary human kidney tissue/cell cultures using strict aseptic technique and contamination prevention. 

Experimental Design & Method Development  

  • Develop and execute experimental plans with the translational team to test mechanistic hypotheses in vitro (e.g., media perturbations, multi-factor time courses), including appropriate controls and replicates. 
  • Contribute to method development/optimization for primary tissue workflows (e.g., tissue handling, digestion/single-cell prep where applicable, culture conditions, sampling strategy, preservation), documenting protocol iterations and outcomes. 
  • Execute complex study layouts with many conditions, timepoints, replicates, etc when required. 

Sample Processing & Molecular Assays 

  • Harvest tissue/cells and perform RNA/DNA/protein/metabolite extraction, quantification, and basic QC (e.g., yield, purity; integrity checks where applicable). 
  • Run and troubleshoot core molecular assays, such as RT-qPCR, ELISA, Western blot, and/or reporter assays (e.g., luciferase), including control selection. 
  • Prepare assay- and omics-ready sample sets with complete metadata for internal use and/or external partners, as needed. 

NGS Library Preparation & Omics Support 

  • Perform NGS library preparation for approaches such as RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and CITE-seq (bulk and/or 10x single-cell), including essential QC steps (quantification, sizing where applicable, yield assessment). 
  • Support handoff of libraries/samples to sequencing vendor pipelines, maintaining traceability of sample IDs, library indices, and processing conditions. 

Documentation & Communication 

  • Maintain high-quality experiment documentation (ELN) and accurate sample inventories (LIMS). 
  • Participate in interpretation translational data to uncover key insights for cell therapy mechanism of action elucidation. 
  • Communicate findings effectively across cross-functional teams, including research, process & analytical development, and clinical translation groups. 
  • Contribute to regulatory filings, scientific publications, and presentations at key industry and academic conferences. 

 Qualifications: 

Education/Training 

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, or related field.  

Required Experience & Skills 

  • Demonstrated hands-on experience with primary human tissue/cell culture and comfort working with human-derived materials in a BSL-2 environment. 
  • Experience executing multi-condition in vitro experiments with strong attention to detail and sample tracking. 
  • Experience with RNA/DNA/protein extraction and basic QC/quantification. 
  • Experience with at least two of: qPCR/RT-qPCR, ELISA, Western blot, reporter assays. 
  • Hands-on experience with NGS library preparation for one or more of: RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, CITE-seq (bulk and/or single-cell). 
  • Able to work effectively in a fast-moving R&D environment with multiple parallel experiments and time-sensitive sample processing needs. 

Preferred 

  • Flow cytometry and/or FACS experience (sample prep, staining, acquisition and/or sorting workflows). 
  • Familiarity with common bioinformatics/QC concepts and tools used in sequencing workflows; familiarity with at least one scripting language (Python and/or R). 

Skills:  

  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and collaborate across disciplines 
  • Strong team player 
  • Goal-oriented mindset 
  • Ability to focus efforts & complete deliverables on-time 
  • Certifications/Licenses: Licenses / Certification welcome 

 

ProKidney is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any applicant because of race, creed, color, age, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, application for military service or any other class protected by state or federal law.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States without the need for work visa or residency sponsorship.

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