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Salary: USD 70,000 - 90,000 / annual
Azalea Therapeutics is pioneering precision genome engineering directly inside the body to create cancer immunotherapies in vivo. The company uses Enveloped Delivery Vehicles (EDVs) to locate and reprogram T cells within patients, enabling safer and more accessible cell therapies without complex ex vivo manufacturing.
The Research Associate I/II role is a hands-on laboratory position supporting the advancement of AZA-2509 and Azalea's next-generation delivery platform. You will develop, optimize, and execute robust cell-based assays to evaluate EDV delivery, genome editing, T-cell engineering, and candidate performance. This position will be filled at either the Research Associate I or II level based on your experience and demonstrated technical independence.
Key responsibilities include:
- Execute and support development of cell-based assays evaluating EDV delivery, genome editing, T-cell engineering, cellular activity, and candidate performance
- Culture, expand, and maintain mammalian cell lines and primary immune cells using aseptic technique; monitor cell health, viability, density, and passage history
- Perform cell-based functional and potency assays using readouts such as ddPCR for editing, multicolor flow cytometry, plate-based viability or reporter assays, and cytotoxicity
- Optimize assay conditions including cell seeding density, stimulation parameters, dose range, incubation time, controls, and acceptance criteria to improve sensitivity, dynamic range, robustness, and reproducibility
- Prepare test articles, samples, reagents, controls, and assay plates according to approved protocols and experimental plans
- Collect, analyze, and summarize assay data using appropriate software; evaluate assay performance, identify trends and outliers, and document deviations
- Maintain complete, accurate, and timely records in electronic laboratory notebooks following data-integrity expectations
- Prepare experimental summaries and communicate results at team meetings; contribute data and figures to technical reports and presentations
- Troubleshoot routine assay and cell-culture issues, escalate significant deviations, and partner with colleagues to improve method performance
- Support laboratory operations through reagent preparation, inventory management, equipment upkeep, sample tracking, and adherence to safety requirements
- Collaborate across functions and contribute to a culture of scientific rigor, transparency, and respect
The role is onsite 5 days per week at Azalea's Berkeley, CA headquarters. This is a full-time, exempt position with eligibility for bonus and equity. Working conditions include regular use of standard laboratory equipment and personal protective equipment; work with biological samples and research reagents; prolonged periods of standing or sitting; repetitive hand motions; and the ability to move laboratory supplies weighing up to approximately 25 pounds. Occasional work outside standard business hours may be required to support time-sensitive experiments. Travel is expected to be minimal.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Required:
- Bachelor's degree in biology, cell biology, bioengineering, biochemistry, immunology, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience
- Research Associate I: 0–2 years of relevant laboratory experience
- Research Associate II: 2–4 years of relevant laboratory experience, including evidence of increased technical independence
- Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and execution of cell-based assays in an academic, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical laboratory
- Experience with at least one cell-based assay readout, such as flow cytometry, plate-based viability or reporter assays, proliferation, cytokine release, activation, or cytotoxicity
- Experience with molecular biology readouts of cell-based assays, such as qPCR and digital PCR
- Ability to follow protocols, perform careful calculations, organize concurrent experiments, and produce accurate and reproducible work
- Ability to analyze data, assess assay quality, communicate findings clearly, and work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary setting
- Commitment to laboratory safety, research integrity, accurate documentation, and responsible handling of biological materials
Preferred:
- Experience working with primary human T cells or other primary immune cells, including isolation, activation, expansion, transduction or transfection, and functional characterization
- Experience developing or optimizing cell-based assays for gene editing and gene knock-in
- Familiarity with assay qualification concepts, design of experiments, dose-response analysis, curve fitting, acceptance criteria, and statistical assessment of assay variability
- Experience with viral or nonviral delivery systems, genome-editing workflows, high-throughput or automated assay platforms, or plate readers
- Experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical research, translational research, or another quality-conscious laboratory environment
- Familiarity with electronic laboratory notebooks and common flow-cytometry and scientific data-analysis tools
