Senior Research Associate, Molecular Biology

About the role

Sana Biotechnology is growing, and we are hiring new team members who believe in the potential of engineered cells as medicines, who are passionate about delivering the possible to patients, and who lead with the desire to work on novel ideas. As a Senior Research Associate (SRA), you will report to Scientist within the Molecular Biology group to help develop methods for the characterization of novel viral vectors, gene editing reagents, cell therapy drug products and process related impurities. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of immunoassay-based like ELISA and ddPCR-based method development for lentiviral vectors and T cell-based products. This role provides the opportunity to work closely with Technical Operations colleagues with the goal of developing robust biomanufacturing processes and contributing to the deeper understanding of our products and their impurity profiles.

What you’ll do

• With minimal supervision, develop robust analytical methods for characterizing intermediates, drug substance, drug products, and measuring residual impurities
• Draft technical documents (e.g., Test Methods, SOPs, Development Reports, Technical Reports, and comprehensive study plans
• Maintain accurate documentation of experiments in ELN and reports
• Work closely with Analytical Operations and QC during knowledge transfer, method transfer and co-qualification activities
• Maintain, calibrate, and operate analytical equipment and instruments
• Ensure that departmental areas are maintained per established policies and guidelines
• Serve as a subject matter expert for one or more analytical techniques
• Overcome obstacles (time constraints, material limitations and instrumental capabilities) through creative solutions, collaboration and problem solving

What we’re looking for

• MA/MS/MBA with 2+ years of relevant experience; or
• BA/BS with 4+ years of relevant experience
• Experience with plate-based immunoassays (ELISA, MSD, Luminex) and ddPCR.
• Background in immunology, molecular biology, cell biology
• Execute, and analyze complex experiments with statistical analysis and scientific rigor.
• Excellent skills in Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Familiarity with Smartsheet, QX Manager, Softmax Pro, and data analysis software (e.g. JMP, Geneious, Snapgene, SoftMax Pro), and other applications
• Knowledge of T cell biology and immune cell therapy (e.g., viral vectors, CAR T functional assays) is preferred
• Ability to think critically and demonstrate troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communicate skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Detail oriented, self-motivated, independent, adaptable, and able to prioritize and manage several projects concurrently

What will separate you from the crowd

• Working on projects with minimal supervision
• Familiarity with FDA and ICH guidelines and GxP principles

What you should know

• The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $95,000 and $115,000/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience

How we work together for patients

• Lead from every seat – we seek to understand, act with honesty, and engage in the crucial conversations
• Thrive as a team – we hire amazing people, are intensely curious, and cultivate inclusion and personal connectivity
• Make it happen – we value vigorous debate, alignment around our decisions, and resilient execution 

Get to know us

At Sana, we believe that a diverse workforce strengthens us as a company and helps us to achieve our mission to meaningfully change the outcome of many human diseases. This belief is a pillar of our business and is critical to our success. Our goal is that Sana is the place for talented people to bring their authentic selves to work, to have a great career and to deeply, positively impact patients.

Core to our values, we believe there is nothing more important than the health and wellness of you and your family. For benefit eligible employees, we cover 100% of the cost for employee health coverage and offer generous time-off (various paid time off benefits, such as holidays, vacation, sick time, and parental leave), short- and long-term disability, employer paid basic life insurance, additional voluntary life insurance protection, financial wellness programs including financial planning resources, a 401(k) Plan with an immediately ve