Senior Research Associate II

Primary Responsibilities:

• Hands-on individual contributor performing research, development and analysis in cellular and molecular biology, working to conceive and develop novel solutions for fighting disease and damaging medical conditions;
• Will engage in primer design, molecular cloning, PCR, qPCR, DNA/RNA isolation, and application of the western blot technique;
• Will support research in cellular and molecular biology and disease-target validation, using specialized, gene-editing tools that include ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR, and DNA base-editors;
• Will deliver gene-editing reagents into mammalian cells using transfection; perform phenotypic analysis in gene-edited cells and estimate gene-editing frequency; engage in primary cell culture;
• Apply specialized, gene-delivery techniques that include lentivirus, AAV, lipid nanoparticles (“LNPs”) and other non-viral delivery technologies;
• Use and apply specialized, DNA-analysis tools that include Geneious, Vector NT and Primer 3;
• Work with data, including its analysis, design, display and visualization; use GraphPad Prism in the data context or setting;
• Design and execute scientific experiments in cellular and molecular biology; analyze experimental results in cellular and molecular biology;
• Report internally on experiments conducted in cellular and molecular biology, sharing data and research findings generated with Beam scientific teams;
• Contribute project-specific data to cross-functional teams company-wide;
• Design studies testing delivery of gene-editing reagents in animal models and interpret results in context of drug discovery;
• Contribute to design and development of research methodologies employed, including standard-operating procedures;
• Optimize scientific protocols generally and otherwise;
• Report development and analysis;
• Participate in internal team meetings and discussions, including by helping generate scientific records used in these;
• Collaborate cross-functionally (representing cellular and molecular biology);
• Document experiments, research results and findings in technically-accurate, scientifically-integral and understandable manner;
• Support senior researchers at Beam; and
• Stay current on relevant, occupationally-appropriate, scientific literature (with emphasis in cellular and molecular biology).

Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree or foreign equivalent in cellular biology, molecular biology, pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology, or related field;
• Demonstrated proficiency in all of the following areas, shown through appropriate, graduate-level coursework, research or lab work:

• Molecular biology skill in primer design, molecular cloning, PCR, qPCR, DNA and RNA isolation, and western blot;
• Using and applying gene-editing tools and principles that include ZFN, TALEN, CRISPR and DNA base-editing;
• Cell biology skill that specifically includes performing primary-cell and stable cell-line culture, delivering gene-editing reagents into mammalian cells through transfection, estimating gene-editing frequencies and performing phenotypic analysis in gene-edited cells;
• Using gene-delivery techniques that include lentivirus, AAV and LNPs; and
• Using Geneious, Vector NT, Primer 3, and GraphPad Prism.   

Other Information:

• Permanent, full-time, immediately available, job opportunity;
• Does not require travel (role is substantially laboratory-based, in-house);
• Not permitted to telecommute, i.e., cannot exclusively work remotely from home (for this same reason, meaning the laboratory-based nature of the work and role);
• Must live in the City of Cambridge, MA, or within a reasonable, daily commuting distance thereof (e.g., areas contemplated can include the City of Boston, the larger Greater Boston region, or Massachusetts’ MetroWest, North or South Shore communities);
• This is because Beam headquarters at 238 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, this is the primary worksite for the role long-term; and
• Is not a supervisory capacity over other people; does not manage other personnel; does not have subordinate, direct reports.