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Salary: USD 90,000 - 115,000 / annual
Xaira Therapeutics is an innovative biotech startup leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development. The company develops generative AI models to design protein and antibody therapeutics and foundation models for biology and disease. Xaira is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and London.
The Genomic Core team is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate or Senior Research Associate to focus on next-generation sequencing (NGS). You will have hands-on responsibility for Illumina-based sequencing technologies, including library preparation, single-cell workflows, and sequencer operation.
Key responsibilities include:
- Prepare high-quality sequencing libraries for Illumina platforms using methods such as TruSeq, Nextera, and Amplicon
- Operate and maintain Illumina sequencers (MiSeq, NextSeq, NovaSeq), including run setup, monitoring, troubleshooting, and basic maintenance
- Support and execute single-cell workflows, including 10x Genomics GEM-X and 10x Flex assays
- Perform quality control of input material and libraries using tools like Bioanalyzer, TapeStation, Qubit, and qPCR; assess data quality post-sequencing
- Collaborate with internal teams to support project-specific NGS needs
- Troubleshoot experimental issues independently and suggest protocol improvements
- Develop and optimize NGS protocols and contribute to scaling automated or high-throughput sequencing pipelines
- Contribute to development of scalable, high-throughput cloning and viral production pipelines
- Maintain detailed electronic lab notebook records and ensure rigorous documentation for reproducibility and compliance
- Participate in group meetings and communicate experimental progress and insights
- Run analysis pipelines such as bcl2fastq and CellRanger
You will work closely with molecular biologists, computational scientists, and platform teams to generate high-quality sequencing data, implement new workflows, and ensure best practices in data generation and quality control.
Qualifications:
- B.S. or M.S. in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Biotechnology, or related field with 2+ years of laboratory experience, including direct experience in NGS workflows
- Proficient in Illumina sequencing library preparation methods for DNA and RNA, with strong understanding of underlying biochemistry and assay design
- Hands-on experience with Illumina sequencer operation and troubleshooting
- Familiarity with single-cell workflows (e.g., 10x Genomics GEM-X) and/or 10x Genomics Flex assays strongly preferred
- Experience with quality control methods for nucleic acids and libraries (fragment analysis, fluorometric quantification, library quantification)
- Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail in benchwork and data documentation
- Familiarity with library cloning techniques such as vector design, PCR, assembly methods (Gibson, Golden Gate), and bacterial transformation is a plus
- Comfortable working in fast-paced, collaborative environment supporting multiple projects and stakeholders
- Knowledge of high-throughput or automated NGS library prep platforms is a plus
- Familiarity with cloud-based LIMS or data tracking systems (Benchling, BaseSpace) is a plus
- Basic knowledge of NGS data analysis (demultiplexing, QC metrics interpretation, familiarity with sequencing file formats) is a plus
