Job Title: Senior Research Associate, Cancer Immunology

Job Type: Contract - 6 Months with extension

Work Environment: Lab-Based / Onsite

Department: Cancer Immunology / Research & Development

Summary: As a key member of our Cancer Immunology team in this lab-based role, you will serve as the primary point of contact for flow cytometry operations – responsible for the following:

Managing flow cytometer instruments:
• Perform daily startup, quality control (QC), routine maintenance, and performance verification of flow cytometers and cell sorter.
• Troubleshoot instrument issues and coordinate repairs and preventative maintenance with external vendors as needed.
• Maintain inventories of instrument consumables and reagents.
• Performing routine flow cytometry assays.
• Execute sample preparation and acquisition workflows, including sample handling, processing, and staining, in compliance with established SOPs.
• Perform antibody titrations to optimize staining conditions for new and existing panels, and support spectral panel optimization, including fluorophore selection and spectral unmixing.
• Perform data acquisition and analysis.
• Optimize sample preparation, staining, and acquisition methods.

Providing technical support.
• Train new users on instrument startup, QC procedures, sample acquisition, and best laboratory practices.
• Assist scientists with experimental design and flow cytometry workflows.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for instrument operation and flow cytometry assays.
• Manage flow cytometer instrument data, including storage, backup, and export of flow cytometry files.
• Monitor and evaluate emerging flow cytometry technologies, reagents, and workflows to maintain up-to-date knowledge of novel dyes, fluorochromes, instrumentation, and assay standards.
• Manage flow cytometry core calendaring.

Required Skills, Experience and Education:
• Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in Science with 3+ years of experience in a cell biology/cellular assay development role. Title will be adjusted according to experience.
• Deep expertise with multi-color spectral flow cytometry assays.
• High proficiency in designing high-parameter flow panels and running experiments independently, including sample handling, cell staining, and data acquisition and analysis.
• Highly organized and proactive, with a demonstrated ability to identify opportunities to improve laboratory workflows and operational efficiency.
• Rigorous and quantitative approach, strong attention to detail, and excellent record-keeping skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to facilitate collaboration with project and departmental teams.
• Innovative, proactive team player who thrives in a fast-paced drug discovery and development environment.

Preferred Skills:
• Prior experience as a Flow Cytometry core manager.
• Prior experience working with Cytek Aurora flow cytometer and SH800S sorter.
• Hands-on experience with primary immune cells, including human PBMC handling, isolation and differentiation.
• Immuno-oncology assays including immune cell phenotypic and functional characterization by flow cytometry (T cell proliferation, suppression and killing assays, antigen presentation assays, phagocytosis assays, etc.).