Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, iQ Biosciences is a partner research organization dedicated to providing immunology research bioservices and biospecimens, enabling preclinical research studies. We serve as a trusted partner for the biomedical community and help deliver innovative therapeutics for physicians and patients. iQ Biosciences fosters a company culture of employee inclusion, accountability, integrity, and a shared sense of team urgency, knowing that patients are waiting with critical needs.
About iQ Biosciences
iQ Biosciences is a contract research organization dedicated to providing immunology research bioservices, biospecimens, and bioconjugation enabling preclinical research studies. We serve as a trusted partner for the biomedical community and help deliver innovative therapeutics for physicians and patients. iQ Biosciences fosters a company culture of employee inclusion, accountability, integrity, and a shared sense of team urgency, knowing that patients are waiting with critical needs.
We are entering a dynamic growth phase and are seeking a highly motivated Scientist I to join our Discovery Sciences group. This position offers high growth potential, as the company continues to establish a strong team, and provides a great learning opportunity to encounter the different approaches that drug development companies, from start-ups to big pharma, are taking to improve human health in the immunology and the oncology therapeutic areas.
Discovery Sciences Position Description : Scientist I – Discovery Sciences
The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for the design and execution of therapeutic antibody or small molecule immunoassays, cell-based assays, and protein analysis, conducted for research, preclinical, and early drug development projects. This position requires solid knowledge of cellular immunology, immuno-oncology, therapeutics of various modalities (i.e. small molecule, biologics, antibody conjugates, cell-based (CAR-T), etc.) and associated lab skills (i.e. flow cytometry, tissue culture, cell-based assays, protein analysis etc.). This is an internal and external facing position requiring attentive listening skills and the ability to clearly communicate technical observations with clients and colleagues. After an initial training period, the Scientist I must work independently, under only general supervision from senior team members, adhering to existing standards / protocols, and possessing skills sufficient for executing and interpreting assay results. In addition to handling a workload consisting of multiple client projects in various stages, it requires internal scheduling and coordination with colleagues, and potentially leading / mentoring of other iQ team members and communicating with clients (including emails and meetings). The candidate will perform work for our Bioservices and Bioconjugation clients, as well as internal R&D. The candidate will also support the Cellular Products department and other divisions as relevant (Business Development, etc.).
Primary Responsibilities :
- Serve as project leader : design, plan, execute, and analyze / present study data for different client projects or internal assay development / optimization (R&D).
Handles most issues and problems, may defer the more complex issues.
Provides real time updates to relevant stakeholders on high priority and iterative research efforts. Works collaboratively to adapt to changing priorities.Independently manage logistics of study implementation, including ordering of required reagents, performance of in vitro experiments, data analysis, PowerPoint summaries, and client debriefs.Design, plan, and perform, or oversee the performance of, high throughput in vitro, ex vivo, and cell-based assays (cytotoxicity and effector function assays, CRAs, ELISAs,reporter assays of biochemical activity) related to functional characterization of therapeutics (primarily antibody-based, including other modalities as well). This will also include complex primary cell functional assays (proliferation, activation, cell subset depletion, etc.), as needed.Design, plan, perform, and analyze data from complex multi-color flow cytometry, including panel design, cell staining, data acquisition, and analysis.Design, plan, perform, and analyze data from biochemical analysis studies, such as Western blotting (including target protein degradation and phosphorylation analysis).Perform various bioconjugation techniques and conduct analytical assessments, including purity evaluation and drug-to-antibody (DAR) determination, as directed.Review study outlines and proposals, based on client-provided information and iQ’s internal assay processes and archival data, or draft / design study outlines or proposals, as needed.Must be able to utilize primary literature sources to advise on or propose experiment plans to address client requests.
Suggest and employ high quality strategies to troubleshoot and optimize novel assays. Must be able to troubleshoot issues based on reviewing methods & data results, as well as help others with troubleshooting various issues, such as cell culture concerns.Ensure the review of protocols with team to enable proper study execution, verify protocol designs are properly updated before initiation, and confirm raw data has been properly processed.Isolate and characterize primary immune cells from murine tissues / tumors and / or human blood and cryopreservation methods.Perform or oversee the general maintenance and cleaning of laboratory equipment, as needed.Stay abreast of new developments in the field through independent literature review and attendance at scientific conferences.After an initial training period, communicate directly with clients via video-conferencing or email to coordinate studies, answer questions, and send updates and data summaries. Prepare and present materials for scientific, business, patent, and external client meetings, as needed.As requested, perform landscape research, and assess the benefits and drawbacks of equipment or other lab-based needs.Contribute to the ideation and formalization of process flow improvements.Communicate with external vendors for troubleshooting of reagents and equipment and quote generation.Utilize project management software (Zoho) and inventory system (LIMS).Draft formal reports for client studies, with a high level of accuracy and detail. Create additional report templates as needed. Assist in the report revision process and review other draft reports, with a focus on accurate scientific descriptions of data and regulatory considerations.Coordinate and provide hands-on training for Discovery Sciences team members.Ability to lead and mentor Ph.D. and non-Ph.D. level Scientists directly and in a matrix setting.Auxiliary Responsibilities :
Receive & monitor client test articles for usage.Package materials for shipment and arrange couriers for transport of cells / materials.Inventory, re-stock, order supplies, and track in accordance with quarterly / annual budgets, as needed.Manage and update client information.Required :
B.S. with >10 years experience, M.S. with >
5 years experience, or Ph.D. with 0-3 years of experience in the areas of Immunology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field.
Extensive experience with sterile technique, preferably mammalian cell culture.Excellent oral presentation and communication skills.Attention to detail with excellent organizational and record keeping skills.Hands-on experience with biochemistry techniques, including protein purification and biochemical characterization of proteins. Proficiency in Western blotting techniques, including traditional SDS-PAGE and capillary-based systems such as Simple Western (Jess, Wes), is highly desirable. Experience with bioanalysis by HPLC or LC / MS is highly desirable.Familiarity with flow cytometry concepts and panel design.Flexibility and a willingness to work as a member of a small team is key. Commit and contribute to a high functioning team of enthusiastic, collaborative, and supportive individuals.Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with people, internally and externally.Proactive in all aspects of work and highly adaptive and flexible.Ability to manage and execute multiple projects concurrently.Ability to develop and optimize assays and troubleshoot issues based on data, experience, and literature.General Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).Must be able to lift and move objects weighing up to 40 pounds approximately 0 to 1 time per day / shift.Activity : Lifting Large Shipping Boxes
Frequency : 0-1 time(s) per day
Item Dimensions : 18”H x 12”W x 13”D
Weight : 40 lbs
Starting Height : 43”
Finish Height : 0”Distance from Body : 5”
Must be able to lift and move objects weighing up to 25 pounds approximately 5 to 10 times per day / shift.Activity : Lifting Liquid Nitrogen Racks
Frequency : ~5-10 times per day
Item Dimensions : 33” H x 6” W x 6” D
Weight : 25 lbs.
Starting Grip Height : 43”
Finish Grip Height : 60”Distance from Body : 14”
Must be able to stand and walk continuously throughout an 8-hour shift.Must comply with laboratory policies and procedures.Preferred :
Previous flow cytometry experience is extremely desirable. At least 1 year, preferably 3 years of experience.Hands-on experience with automated and manual liquid handling systems for high-throughput screening, assay development, and sample preparation. Familiarity with pipetting robots (e.g., Tecan, Hamilton, Echo, or Beckman Coulter systems) and optimization of liquid handling workflows is highly desirable.Experience with transient expression systems and various transfection techniques (e.g., lipid-based, electroporation, calcium phosphate, viral transduction) in mammalian cell lines such as HEK293, CHO, or primary cells. Familiarity with optimizing transfection efficiency, utilizing transfected cells in plate-based assays, and assessing expression levels is highly desirable.2 years pharmaceutical / biotech research experience and familiarity with preclinical drug discovery and / or translational research.Technical Computer Software literacy, including GraphPad Prism, and Flow Cytometry based applications (CellQuest, FACSDiva, Forecyt, and FlowJo).General :
Full-time, exempt position, not subject to FLSA or California overtime regulations.Must be able to work Monday-Friday from 8 : 30 am to 5 : 00 pm.Occasional night and / or weekend work may be required.This is a 100% on-site and lab-based position located in Alameda, CA, with occasional travel as needed.Starting range $90K to $105K, based on experience. Full position range $90K to $120K.Medical, dental, vision, 401K with employer match (after 90 days introductory period), paid holidays, PTO, FSA contribution, and free lunch / snacks.
Salary : $90,000 - $120,000
