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Scientist 3 – Manager, Protein Conjugation

Emeryville, CA

Our north star is to make healthcare more accessible around the world. We are doing this by advancing cell biology to develop innovative solutions for human health.

Founded in 2012, and located in one of the largest biotech hubs in the world, Slingshot Biosciences is a growing life sciences company with a platform technology and paradigm-shifting mission to make synthetic cells the gold standard for all cell-based applications.  We currently have a suite of products that allow for rapid, stable instrument deployment and are poised to make headway into clinical markets with controls for engineered cell therapies.

At Slingshot, we value diversity and believe that a variety of backgrounds and experiences leads to more innovative ideas and a better understanding of our customers. Passion is at the core of our values, and employees are encouraged to pursue their passions in their work and contribute to the company's overall mission.

We desire motivated team members who appreciate the freedom to be creative and think outside the box to solve problems.  We offer an environment where employees are empowered to take ownership of their work, and have the ability to quickly contribute new ideas and iterate on current processes.  In everything we do, we are dedicated to delivering top-quality products and services to our customers which ultimately makes a significant impact on patient care.

The Scientist 3 (Staff Scientist equivalent), Protein Chemistry role will report to the Director of Biochemistry within the R&D department. They will support the production of biochemically modified cell mimics for the development of both custom and catalog products. They will also facilitate the transfer of our products from R&D to process development and manufacturing. To be successful, the Scientist 3, Protein Chemistry will need experience in protein conjugation, working with various types of bioconjugation chemistries and an understanding of how to handle proteins. Familiarity with flow cytometry is preferred for product QC. This role will be a management and leadership position, and the candidates should have experience with managing direct reports, and be excited about bringing innovation and new ideas to the team. They should be comfortable doing hands-on work in the lab, and writing technical reports and analyses of findings, with the goal of leading development projects involving stakeholders from multiple departments. This position will be on-site in Emeryville, CA. We are a small but growing team, and the applicant must be comfortable in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Self-motivated and driven applicants of all experience levels are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

  • Contribute to R&D efforts in the biochemistry group, with a focus on development of products intended for flow cytometry applications. This work will be supporting the production of our custom products pipeline.
    • Protein conjugation related product development work
      • Use our established methods to make new products 
      • Bring your previous bioconjugation experience to the table to recommend improvements
      • Suggest ideas for and build POC for new product concepts 
      • Oversee other team members’ projects and advise and troubleshoot with them
    • Antibody panel design for Flow Cytometry based assays 
    • Flow cytometry assays on different conventional and spectral flow cytometry instrumentation
  • Employ bioconjugation techniques to various biomarkers of interest for the development of cell mimics and suggest new ideas to improve ongoing conjugation work.
  • Do deep dives of literature to determine the best experimental plans based on precedent, and independently drive and troubleshoot projects with your direct report(s).
  • Help develop and test new products addressing customer needs in the cell therapy and diagnostics space, and represent the biochemistry team at the project meetings.
  • Designing experiments to pressure test protocols to ensure their robustness. Diligent and detailed record keeping of experimental protocols.
  • Transfer protocols and SOPs to the process development and manufacturing groups as needed
  • Work in the lab on independent projects while also managing a direct report who will support those projects
    • Lead projects and drive innovation
    • Train and mentor direct reports 
    • Assign projects, plan their experiments and support troubleshooting while working on your own research projects and managing timelines
    • Report team’s progress to management 

Requirements

  • Ph.D. in a relevant field with 5 years of industry experience, or equivalent 
  • Background in biochemistry, protein chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, or an equivalent field
  • Experience with management/ mentorship while also working on their own experimental projects
  • Strong experience with conjugation/protein chemistry
  • Nice to have:
    • Experience with flow cytometry 
    • Experience with gene to protein process and protein purification
    • Experience with tech transfer processes 
    • Understanding of the cell and gene therapy space
  • Able to multitask, prioritize and manage time effectively.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills
 
Our salary ranges are calculated by role and level. Your position within that range will be determined by your job-related knowledge, skills, experience, relevant education, and training/certifications. In addition to those factors, we also examine internal equity as well as consider current market rate, and title may be assessed one level lower or higher accordingly. After you join the company your performance, contributions, and results along with business and organizational needs will affect your base salary. The base salary range for this full-time position is between $145,000 - $185,000 + equity + benefits.

What we offer at Slingshot:

  • Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
  • Retirement Plan (401k)
  • Stock Option Plan
  • Paid Time Off (Vacation & Sick)
  • Family Leave
  • Life Insurance
  • Fully stocked break room with food, snacks and beverages

Slingshot Biosciences requires employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation. Proof of such vaccination will be required as part of the hiring process.

Slingshot Biosciences is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Legal authorization to work in the United States is required. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. 

 

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