AltPep Corporation is a biomedical startup based along Seattle's Lake Union focused on developing early disease-modifying treatments and detection tools for amyloid diseases by targeting one of the earliest molecular triggers – toxic soluble oligomers. These toxic oligomers are associated with many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and type 2 diabetes.

AltPep draws its origins to Dr. Valerie Daggett's lab at the University of Washington's Bioengineering Department. The company closed a significant round of financing in mid-2023 and is currently seeking to expand at its new, state-of-the-art, headquarters located on the Eastside of Lake Union in Seattle.

About this Role

We are seeking a meticulous and dynamic Research Associate - Peptide Production to join our team. In this role, you will be responsible for the production and purification of peptides, ensuring the highest standards of quality and precision. Your contributions will be critical to our research and development efforts, and you will have opportunities to work both independently and collaboratively within our innovative team.

What You’ll Do:

• Operate both manual and automated solid-phase peptide synthesis systems.
• Conduct (prep- and semi-prep) HPLC purification of peptides
• Characterize peptides by U/HPLC, mass spectrometry, circular dichroism, etc according to established QC protocols and compose QC reports.
• Engage in chemical synthesis and peptide modifications to meet research and development objectives.
• Provide quantitative analysis of results in reference to calibrations/standards, ensuring adherence to quality control criteria.
• Maintain rigorous quality of experimental details outlined in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Troubleshoot and maintain instrumentation to ensure smooth laboratory operations.
• Document research findings meticulously in lab books and records.
• Work both independently and collaboratively within an innovative team to achieve project goals.
• Prioritize and organize workflow to manage multiple tasks efficiently.
• Maintain a clean and orderly laboratory environment.

What You Bring:

Must Haves:

• Bachelor's degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, biochemistry, bioengineering, or a related field.
• 2 years of post-graduate experience in a relevant field, with previous biotech experience being a plus.
• Hands-on experience with solid-phase peptide synthesis and HPLC purification.
• Proficiency in instrumental analysis using HPLC, UHPLC, and LC-MS with experience on Shimadzu and Bruker platforms a plus.
• Strong knowledge of chemical synthesis and peptide modifications.
• Ability to conduct quantitative analysis and apply quality control criteria effectively.
• Experience with productivity and scientific software, including ChemDraw /Marvinsketch, and SciFinder.
• Excellent troubleshooting skills for laboratory instrumentation.
• Meticulous record-keeping abilities and attention to detail.
• Flexibility to adapt to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment and responsiveness to quick changes in tasks/priorities.
• Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and prioritize workflow.
• Regularly update supervisors in verbal and written form. Occasionally present results to larger audiences (Science Team and All-Company Meetings)
• Knowledge of Quality Management Systems is a plus.

What Will Separate You From the Rest:

• Ability to work independently while also valuing team collaboration.
• Ability to learn and implement new analytical and synthetic chemistry techniques.
• Effective communication practices with peers and senior personnel.
• Flexible approach to structure and workflow management.
• Commitment to maintaining high standards of precision and cleanliness in laboratory work.

Compensation:

Debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's affect more than a billion people worldwide. Drawing upon decades of academic research, AltPep was founded to create groundbreaking tools to detect and treat such diseases. Although a young company, AltPep has been recognized for its scientific accomplishment and potential.

While still small and nimble, we have grown to a team of thirty talented individuals dedicated to improving the lives of billions. We continue to grow and are looking for talented people to join the team and help us accomplish our mission.

We offer competitive compensation to those joining our fight. The compensation range for a Peptide Production Specialist / Research Associate is $70,000 - $85,000, depending on experience. AltPep takes care of its employees and offers generous stock options, medical, vision, and dental coverage for its employees and their dependents. We understand, and value, life outside of work and offer competitive PTO so you can rest and recharge.