Scientist Contractor- Translational Biology

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