Research Associate II/Senior Research Associate, Immunology and Cell Therapy

Company Summary:

Tessera Therapeutics is pioneering Gene Writing™— a new biotechnology designed to offer scientists and clinicians the ability to write small and large therapeutic messages into the genome, thereby curing diseases at their source. Gene Writing holds the potential to become a new category in genetic medicine, building upon recent breakthroughs in gene therapy and gene editing while eliminating important limitations in their reach, utilization, and efficacy. Tessera Therapeutics was founded by Flagship Pioneering, a life sciences innovation enterprise that conceives, resources, and develops first-in-category companies to transform human health and sustainability.

Position Summary:

We are looking for a Senior Research Associate to join the Immuno-Oncology Process Team to advance early-stage cell therapy applications using Tessera’s novel Gene Writing and Gene Rewriting technology. The candidate will work collaboratively with multiple teams across research and tech ops within Tessera to drive biological understanding of how gene writing and re-writing technologies work with various immune cells and/or hematopoietic cells. The candidate will help develop processes and characterize genetically modified cell therapies with the goal to bringing them to clinic. This candidate will also drive experiments that will determine in-process CQAs of non-viral LNP mediated delivery of Gene-writing technology. We are searching for a driven, enthusiastic, and self-motivated individual who is comfortable multitasking and working independently on various aspects of the platform. This represents an opportunity to join a dynamic, rapidly growing, and highly collaborative team.

Key Responsibilities:

• The candidate will perform complex small-scale and large-scale experiments using various cell processing techniques including (but not limited to) immune cell isolation and culture initiation, transduction, transfection, culture propagation and expansion, cryopreservation.
• Conduct cell-based assays such as phenotypic and functional characterization of gene modified immune cells.
• Collect and interpret data, follow good documentation practices using electronic notebook platform, prepare experimental reports and present results to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support the development of standard operating procedures, batch records, and analytical sampling plans.
• Collaborate and support various process and analytical development groups within Tessera.

Basic Qualifications:

• BS with 2+ years or MS with experience in immunology, biology, bioengineering, cell therapy/biologics process development, or related fields is required.
• Hands-on experience with immune cell isolation, enrichment, transduction (viral or non-viral), transfection, cell expansion and cryopreservation is required.
• Experience with ex vivo manipulation of immune cells and/or HSCs is required.
• Hands-on experience with multi-color flow cytometry is required.
• Excellent technical, written, and oral communication skills is required.
• Has a passion for collaboration and is a dynamic individual eager to join a thriving early-stage biotech environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Other analytical experience such as ELISA, etc. is highly preferred.
• Experience with large scale cell processing instruments such as CliniMACS PLUS, CliniMACS Prodigy, electroporation instruments, cell washing instruments is highly preferred.
• Knowledge and experience with non-viral gene delivery (LNP) is highly preferred.
• Experience with primary immune cell culture (T cells/other immune cells/HSCs) at large scale is preferred.
• Working knowledge of design of experiments (DoE) using JMP, R, python, etc. is preferred.
• Experience with bioreactor-based cell culture is a plus. 

 

More About Flagship Pioneering

Flagship Pioneering has conceived of and created companies such as Moderna Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MRNA), Editas Medicine (NASDAQ: EDIT), Omega Therapeutics (NASDAQ: OMGA), Seres Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MCRB), and Indigo Agriculture. Since its launch in 2000, Flagship has applied its unique hypothesis-driven innovation process to originate and foster more than 100 scientific ventures. In 2021, Flagship Pioneering was ranked 12th globally on Fortune’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies.

Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, ci