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Salary: USD 110,000 - 160,000 / annual
Raven StealthCo is a well-funded, stealth-mode biotechnology company incubated by RA Capital, focused on next-generation oligo-based modalities targeting tissues beyond the liver, muscle, and kidney. The company is building a platform to deliver oligonucleotides with high precision to previously untargeted cells, focusing on "undruggable" genes alone or in combination with validated targets. Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the company is in the discovery stage and moving quickly to address multiple disease indications with significant market potential.
The Senior Scientist will join the Protein Engineering and Discovery Biology group at an early stage, playing a foundational role in building the company's scientific capabilities. This individual will design and execute in vitro assays to characterize antibody candidates across the discovery and engineering pipeline, generating binding, functional, and biophysical data that drive lead selection and optimization.
Key responsibilities include:
- Design, execute, and interpret binding assays (ELISA, SPR, BLI, flow cytometry) to characterize antibody affinity, kinetics, and specificity
- Develop and run cell-based internalization assays to assess antibody trafficking and receptor-mediated uptake
- Design and execute cell-based functional assays to assess receptor agonism/antagonism, including dose-response and mechanism-of-action studies
- Maintain and expand mammalian cell culture capabilities, including generation and maintenance of engineered cell lines
- Perform cell line characterization, including receptor/target expression profiling and phenotypic analysis
- Develop and execute cell signaling assays (reporter gene assays, phospho-flow cytometry, Western blot, etc.)
- Conduct protein analytics (SEC-HPLC, SDS-PAGE, concentration and purity determination)
- Apply working knowledge of antibody structure-function relationships to inform engineering strategies
- Perform and interpret antibody biophysical characterization studies (thermal stability, aggregation propensity, binding kinetics)
- Analyze, interpret, and present data clearly to cross-functional teams; maintain accurate experimental records
- Collaborate with protein engineering, discovery biology, and analytical teams
- Contribute to assay strategy design for new programs and troubleshoot existing platforms
- Bring in new methods, technologies, and vendors; operationalize robust, documented, transferable assays
- Help build the lab infrastructure, train future team members, and establish data management systems, SOPs, and protocols
The ideal candidate combines deep knowledge of antibody structure and function with hands-on expertise in cell-based assay development, cell culture, and protein analytics. This is a self-starter role requiring independence in execution paired with scientific and strategic judgment. The work is deeply collaborative in a small, cross-functional team within a fast-paced startup environment. The role is based in Cambridge, MA on a hybrid schedule dictated by wet-lab experimental needs.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- PhD in Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular/Cell Biology, Protein Science, Bioengineering, or related field, with 2-5 years of relevant industry experience (postdoctoral experience considered)
- Hands-on experience with antibody assays such as ELISA, SPR, BLI, and/or flow cytometry
- Experience developing or running cell-based internalization assays
- Experience with cell-based assays evaluating antibody internalization, receptor dynamics, and downstream signaling
- Strong mammalian cell culture skills and aseptic technique; experience generating and characterizing cell lines
- Practical experience with signaling assay formats (reporter gene assays, phospho-flow, Western blot) and protein analytical techniques (SEC-HPLC, SDS-PAGE/CE)
- Strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills with ability to present data clearly to cross-functional audiences
- Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, team-oriented biotech environment
- Initiative and independent scientific thinking: identifying problems, proposing approaches, and carrying them through with limited supervision
- Process- and detail-oriented with creativity to build novel assays while maintaining decision-grade data quality
- Personal characteristics: collaborative, collegial, intellectually curious, driven, trustworthy, humble, with sound judgment and strong technical decision-making
