Research Associate

Exthymic is an early-stage deep-tech startup on a mission to prevent millions of cancer deaths by making curative cell therapies widely accessible. Our platform enables the manufacturing of patient-specific treatments at the point of care. Led by experienced industry pioneers, we blend hardware, software, and biochemical engineering to disrupt the status quo and democratize life-saving therapies. Join us to solve complex challenges and drive global healthcare innovation.

About You:

You are a hands-on Research Associate with a foundation in molecular biology and biochemistry and a genuine curiosity for solving hard problems at the bench. You are comfortable executing experiments yourself, and you thrive in fast-moving, resource-constrained environments where ambiguity is the norm rather than the exception. 

Have hands-on experience in plasmid preparation, cell culture, protein expression, purification, and functional characterization, whether from academic lab work, internships, or an early industry role, and are eager to build on those skills in a collaborative antibody engineering environment focused on cell therapy applications. You understand that in an early-stage startup, your work directly shapes the science, and you take that responsibility seriously.

Key Responsibilities:

• Tissue culture: Work closely with scientists and engineers to prepare cells for use in core technology development. 
• Expression and purification support: Execute mammalian and recombinant expression protocols for antibody and protein production, following established procedures and contributing observations that inform protocol optimization. You will gain experience with both transient and stable expression systems in a fast-moving development environment.
• Conjugation and surface chemistry support: Support the surface chemistry team in evaluating antibody conjugation and surface attachment workflows. You will contribute hands-on execution and develop familiarity with how protein engineering decisions affect downstream performance.
• Scientific rigor and documentation: Maintain detailed, accurate lab notebooks and records consistent with good scientific practice. Proactively communicate results and flag technical observations to your team, and participate actively in cross-functional scientific discussions.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• A scientific degree (BSc or MSc) in a relevant field such as biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or chemistry, or directly relevant industry experience is required.
• Hands-on laboratory skills across at least 3 of the following: Molecular Biology,, Biochemistry / Protein Engineering, Cell Culture and Cell-Based Assays, Microscopy, or Protein Expression, Purification, and Functional Validation.
• Demonstrated experience with biological sample preparation and handling, including cell culture, protein purification, and molecular biology techniques. 
• Familiarity with recombinant protein expression (mammalian or bacterial cell systems) and downstream purification (IMAC, SEC, ion exchange) is desired.
• Proven ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and present data in a rigorous environment, including developing and documenting research protocols to optimize assays or workflows.
• Strong data acquisition, analysis, and experimental tracking skills with reliable attention to detail.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team in a quickly evolving research setting.
• Team player: collaborative, transparent, and mission-driven.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with imaging techniques, cell sorting, antibody-based assays, or cell-based assay development.
• Background in cancer biology, cell therapeutics, GMP, neurobiology, microbiology, virology, immunotherapies, or autoimmune research.
• Industry laboratory R&D experience.
• Experience executing and summarizing verification, validation, and guard banding studies.
• Proficiency using data analysis software relevant to biophysical characterization (e.g., PyMOL, AlphaFold, Rosetta, SnapGene, Python, and GitHub) and AI tools to accelerate lab workflows or data analysis is a plus.

Benefits

We offer our employees comprehensive benefits, including medical, vision, and dental coverage, as well as retirement savings plans. Optional benefits include Accident and Term Life offerings.

AGENCIES: We work directly with candidates and do not accept unsolicited resumes or referrals from recruitment agencies, search firms, or staffing companies. Any resumes submitted by an agency without a signed agreement in place will be considered the property of Exthymic and no fee will be owed. If you are interested in partnering with us on a future search, please contact our HR team directly.