Research Associate I/II (Cell-Based Assay Development)

Job Title: Research Associate I/II (Cell-Based Assay Development)

Department: Research & Development
Reports to:  Principal Scientist I, Analytical Development
Location: Onsite 5 days a week - HQ- Berkeley, CA
Employment Type: Full-time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Bonus/Equity: Eligible

About Azalea

Azalea Therapeutics enabling precision genome engineering directly inside the body, with an initial focus on creating cancer immunotherapies in vivo. Azalea is pioneering a new way to turn a person’s own T cells into a powerful cancer therapy — directly inside the body. Instead of removing cells and manipulating them in a lab, we use precision genome editing tools to engineer T cells where they already live. At the center of our approach are Enveloped Delivery Vehicles, or EDVs. As highly selective couriers, EDVs are designed to specifically locate T cells within the patient and deliver our genome engineering cargo. Once inside the cell, the anti-cancer agent is inserted into a precise site in the genome, ensuring safe and potent modifications to fortify the T cells against cancers.

Why this matters:

• We aim to make cell therapy faster and more accessible by avoiding complex manufacturing outside the body.
• Our platform is designed for precision, so the right cells are safely programmed to effectively fight cancer.
• This technology has the potential to treat a wide range of cancers with a streamlined, scalable process.

Our goal is simple: develop next-generation delivery technologies to bring genetic engineering and cell therapies to more patients.

How We Work

Azalea is building ambitious science in a fast-moving environment. The people who thrive here are accountable, adaptable, rigorous, humble, and direct. Across roles and functions, we look for team members who demonstrate the following:

• Outcome Ownership - We own results, close loops, and follow through without needing to be prompted. We take responsibility for moving work forward and making sure important decisions, deliverables, and handoffs do not fall through the cracks.
• Comfort with Ambiguity - We operate in an early-stage environment where information may be incomplete and priorities may evolve. We clarify quickly, make thoughtful decisions with the information available, and adapt without unnecessary drama.
• High Standards, Low Ego -  We care deeply about the quality of the work and the impact it can have for patients. We raise the bar while staying humble, direct, and open to feedback.
• Collaboration and Candor - We share context early, communicate clearly, partner across functions, and operate with transparency. We believe strong collaboration requires both trust and direct communication.

The Opportunity

Azalea Therapeutics is seeking a Research Associate I/II to join its Research & Development team. This hands-on laboratory role will support the advancement of AZA-2509 and Azalea’s next-generation delivery platform by developing, optimizing, and executing robust cell-based assays, generating high-quality data, and maintaining rigorous laboratory records. The successful candidate will work closely with scientists and colleagues across research, process development, analytical development, and preclinical functions to evaluate EDV delivery, genome editing, T-cell engineering, and candidate performance. The position will be filled at the Research Associate I or Research Associate II level based on the candidate’s experience, technical depth, and demonstrated independence.

Key Responsibilities

• 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 relevant 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 and other controlled systems, following applicable procedures and 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 and transferability.
• Support laboratory operations through reagent preparation, inventory management, equipment upkeep, sample tracking, and adherence to safety requirements.
• Collaborate across functions, manage assigned work to agreed timelines, and contribute to a culture of scientific rigor, transparency, and respect.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications
  • 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 read outs 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 Qualifications
  • 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.

What Success Looks Like (first 3–6 months)

• Build proficiency in Azalea’s cell-culture systems and core cell-based assay methods, and execute assigned studies safely and reproducibly.
• Generate, analyze, and communicate high-quality assay data while maintaining complete and timely laboratory records.
• Independently manage assigned assay work, recognize routine performance issues, contribute to assay optimization, and collaborate effectively across research and development functions.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements (as applicable)

• This is expected to be a primarily onsite, laboratory-based position.
• The role requires 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, with reasonable accommodation as needed.
• Occasional work outside standard business hours may be required to support time-sensitive experiments. Travel is expected to be minimal.

Compensation and Benefits

• The expected salary range for this role based on the primary location for this position in California is $70,000 - $90,000 per year. Offer amounts are determined by factors such as experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law.
• Benefits offered include paid time off, paid holiday’s, medical, dental, vision, 401k with Company match, and other employee benefits and perks.

Azalea’s Commitments

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): Azalea Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Reasonable Accommodation: We will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, consistent with applicable law. To request accommodation, email HR at [HR email].

Applicant Privacy: Azalea collects and uses applicant personal information for recruiting and employment purposes. If applicable, Azalea will provide a California applicant privacy notice describing categories of information collected, purposes, retention, and rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA).

Job Description Disclaimer: This job description may change at any time based on business needs. It is not a contract and does not create a promise of employment for any particular duration.

Notice to Recruiters/Staffing Agencies: Recruiters and staffing agencies should not contact Azalea Therapeutics through this page. We require that all Recruitment Vendors (e.g., search firms, recruitment agencies and staffing companies) have a fully executed, formal written agreement on file with Azalea prior to submitting candidates. Any resumes submitted through the website or directly by Recruitment Vendors will be considered unsolicited.  Unsolicited vendor submissions do not constitute any actual or implied contract with Azalea, and Azalea will not be responsible for any purported fees. For more information, please contact our HR team at hr@azaleatx.com.

Information on Fraudulent Job Offers: Azalea is aware that some job seekers have received false employment offers or recruitment emails from individuals or organizations posing as Azalea. The individuals or organizations sending these false employment offers may send requests seeking to gain personal information, items of value or monetary funds under the premise that doing so is required to further the recruitment process.

Azalea never requests passport details, financial information, items of value or money from job seekers for any reason as part of the recruitment process. Individuals who receive an offer of employment from Azalea are always required to go through a formal recruitment process, which includes an interview with a member of Azalea’s Human Resources recruitment team and the hiring manager.

Legitimate email communications from Azalea will also only use emails that end in “@azaleatx.com” from our core recruitment team. Fraudulent emails claiming to be sent by Azalea or Azalea employees may come from similar sounding emails with endings like “@azaleajobs.com” or “@azalea.com” or even emails ending in common public domain addresses with endings like “@gmail.com,” “hotmail.com” or “@yahoo.com.” There can also be instances of fraudulent communication that use the names and pictures of known company employees claiming to be sent from those employees, or that even link out to fake websites that were created to look and feel like the real company website.

We are taking steps to investigate these fraudulent communications. If you feel that you have been a potential victim of an employment application scam, please contact the Internet Crimes Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. The Internet Crimes Complaint Center is an FBI entity that aggregates criminal events in order to analyze and prosecute numerous related scams.