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Salary: USD 105,000 - 125,000 / 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 T cells within patients and deliver genome-editing cargo, enabling safer and more accessible cell therapies without complex ex vivo manufacturing.
You will join the Synthetic Immunology team as a hands-on, scientifically rigorous Senior Research Associate or Associate Scientist, advancing next-generation in vivo cell and gene therapies. Your work will generate high-quality data supporting multiple pre-clinical programs, functional characterization of engineered immune cells, and platform development.
Key responsibilities include:
- Independently plan, execute, analyze, and document in vitro experiments evaluating engineered T cell products, delivery technologies, and functional immune-cell responses
- Culture, engineer, expand, and characterize primary T cells and mammalian cell lines using viral and non-viral gene delivery methods
- Perform and optimize cell-based and immunological assays: multicolor flow cytometry, FACS workflows, cytokine analysis, proliferation, activation, cytotoxicity, and related functional assays
- Generate high-quality data to support candidate evaluation, assay development, process readiness, and go/no-go decisions for in vivo or translational evaluation
- Troubleshoot experimental workflows, identify variability sources, recommend assay improvements, and contribute to method development
- Analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental results, including limitations, risks, follow-up experiments, and program implications
- Maintain accurate, timely, inspection-ready laboratory records per company standards and good scientific practice
- Collaborate across research, process development, analytical development, preclinical, and program teams
- Contribute to lab operations, reagent and cell-bank management, sample processing, and safe laboratory practices
- Associate Scientist level: help define experimental plans within assigned workstreams, mentor junior research staff, and represent data in cross-functional scientific discussions
Azalea values outcome ownership, comfort with ambiguity, high standards with low ego, and collaboration with candor. The company operates in a fast-moving, early-stage environment where you will be expected to clarify priorities quickly, make thoughtful decisions with incomplete information, and adapt without unnecessary drama.
Success in the first 3–6 months means building fluency in Azalea's platform, program priorities, experimental systems, and documentation practices; independently executing assigned experiments with clear, reproducible, well-documented data; identifying and communicating technical risks and assay variability; developing trusted working relationships through clear communication and scientific judgment; and (for Associate Scientists) taking ownership of defined experimental workstreams and contributing meaningfully to study design and prioritization discussions.
You will work onsite at Azalea's laboratory space in Berkeley, CA five days per week. The role requires ability to stand, sit, pipette, handle biological samples, use standard laboratory equipment, and follow safety procedures. Occasional schedule flexibility may be needed to support time-sensitive experiments and cell-culture workflows.
REQUIREMENTS:
Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related life science discipline, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Senior Research Associate Required Experience:
- Minimum 4 years of relevant hands-on laboratory experience in academic, biotech, or pharmaceutical research
- Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and primary immune cell workflows (T cell isolation, activation, engineering, expansion, characterization, or related immune cell systems)
- Experience with flow cytometry, including multicolor staining, sample preparation, panel execution, data analysis, and interpretation using FlowJo or similar software
- Experience generating, characterizing, or evaluating engineered immune cells (CAR T, TCR T, genome-edited T cells, or related cellular therapy systems)
- Demonstrated ability to independently execute experiments, troubleshoot technical issues, analyze and interpret data, maintain accurate records, and communicate findings clearly to scientific teams
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, accountability, communication, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic research environment
Associate Scientist Required Experience:
- Minimum 6 years of relevant hands-on laboratory experience demonstrating independent experimental design and scientific judgment
- Same hands-on experience requirements as Senior Research Associate (mammalian cell culture, primary immune cells, flow cytometry, engineered immune cells)
- Demonstrated ability to independently execute experiments, troubleshoot technical issues, analyze and interpret data, maintain accurate records, and communicate findings clearly to scientific teams
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, accountability, communication, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic research environment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with cytokine quantification methods (ELISA, MSD, Luminex, or related platforms)
- Experience with cytotoxicity assays, Incucyte-based assays, high-content imaging, or other quantitative functional readouts
- Experience with viral or non-viral gene delivery (lentiviral transduction, AAV-related workflows, or delivery vehicle characterization)
- Experience supporting assay optimization, analytical method development, high-throughput screening, or comparability-oriented studies
- Experience working with electronic laboratory notebooks and maintaining high-quality documentation
- Experience mentoring junior colleagues, training others on laboratory techniques, or coordinating small experimental workstreams
