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Salary: USD 125,000 - 140,000 / annual
Parallel Bio is building human-first drug discovery powered by organoids and AI. The company's platform achieves 87% concordance with clinical patient data, vastly outperforming the 3% translational success rate of animal models. With ~$30M in funding from AIX Ventures, Marc Benioff, Jeff Dean, and Y Combinator, and partnerships with three Fortune 500 pharma companies, Parallel Bio is positioned to transform how medicines are discovered.
You will be a Scientist I running hands-on cell and tissue culture work that underpins every Parallel Bio program. This role bridges Technical Operations and Science, splitting time between executing partner studies and building robust systems: SOPs, cell inventory, and process consistency.
Key responsibilities:
**Tissue Processing & Cell Culture:** Process human lymphoid tissue and primary cells into single-cell suspensions and organoid cultures. Apply donor acceptance criteria, manage donor-to-donor variability, and optimize protocols in a data-driven manner. Execute partner study protocols on schedule under aseptic technique.
**Cell Banking & Cryopreservation:** Cryopreserve, thaw, and recover primary human cells with consistent viability and yield. Execute banking runs with full chain of custody. Maintain LN2 inventory, sample tracking, and reconciliation.
**Assays & Immune Readouts:** Independently execute flow cytometry for immunophenotyping and study endpoints. Independently execute functional assays (ELISA, MSD, ELISpot, cytotoxicity), plus imaging or qPCR as needed. Analyze data using FlowJo, Prism, or equivalent, and communicate findings to stakeholders.
**Process, Documentation & Lab Operations:** Draft and revise SOPs. Support transition from research-grade to GLP-like documentation rigor. Maintain equipment and reagent inventory. Support EH&S programs.
Success milestones: By 6 months, independently run tissue processing, banking, and core assays for partner studies. By 12 months, manage the cell bank and inventory day-to-day with several authored SOPs in active use.
**Physical Requirements:** Ability to wear a tight-fitting respirator (N95 or half-face APR) with medical clearance and annual fit test. Work with human-derived tissue at BSL-2, including bloodborne pathogen training (Hepatitis B vaccination offered). Stand at bench/biosafety cabinet for extended periods and lift up to 25 lb.
**Requirements:**
- PhD in immunology, cell biology, bioengineering, or related field with 0–2 years postdoctoral or industry experience; OR MS with 5+ years relevant industry experience; OR BS with 8+ years relevant industry experience
- Hands-on proficiency in primary human cell or tissue culture under strict aseptic technique
- Hands-on proficiency in cryopreservation (freezing, thawing, tracking)
- Hands-on proficiency in flow cytometry plus at least one other immune assay method (ELISA, MSD, ELISpot, Luminex)
- Strong documentation habits grounded in ALCOA+ principles: detailed electronic notebook entries, clear protocols, followable records
- Ability to collaborate across two teams and shift between study execution and process work
- High standards for data quality and integrity; ability to apply scientific rigor to operations
- Strong written and verbal communication, critical thinking, rational experimental design, clear data presentation
**Nice to Have:**
- Secondary lymphoid organ biology, organoid, or 3D culture experience
- Formal cell banking (MCB/WCB) with release testing (sterility, mycoplasma, identity)
- Spectral or high-parameter flow cytometry (15+ colors)
- iPSC culture or stem cell-derived immune models
- Plate-based, higher-throughput workflows or liquid handling automation
- SOP authoring in GLP- or GMP-aware environment
