Associate Scientist

An Associate Scientist position is available at the visionary cell therapy startup Stemson Therapeutics Corp. The candidate will be part of a dynamic assay and platform development team focused on hair follicle restoration using human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

We seek a conscientious individual who is passionate about cell culture assay development and translational medicine. All candidates must have cell culture experience. The candidate will isolate and culture cells from patient samples, generate hair follicle organoids, and analyze the cell products using a variety of analytical and biochemical techniques. The candidate will contribute to experimental design and may lead clearly defined projects with established scope. The candidate will contribute to the development of a high-throughput screening (HTS) platform for the evaluation of iPSC-derived folliculogenic cells.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Perform human iPSC and/or primary cell culture, including cell isolation from tissue, cell line maintenance (culture expansion, freezing), and preparation of a variety of cell types for assays.
• Collaborate with different project lead Scientists for data generation, collection, analysis, and presentation.
• Characterize cells and organoids using qPCR, flow cytometry, histological, and microscopy techniques.
• Productively and collegially interact with project team members.
• Occasional weekend and evening work for iPS cell culture, on rotation with others.

Requirements

• 5 years hands-on lab experience in an academic, biotechnology, pharmaceutical or CRO setting.
• Background in molecular & cellular biology, with proficiency in mammalian cell culture and operation of 3D culture systems (organoid culture), with cell culture analytical techniques such as microscopy, flow cytometry, and qPCR.
• Strong attention to detail, analytical, time management, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and to handle multiple projects and deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task and work efficiently in a small, extremely fast paced environment with a positive outlook and a team-oriented attitude.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Most critically, the successful candidate should demonstrate the ability for independent and critical thinking.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience with human iPSC and subsequent differentiations, skin-derived cells, including fibroblasts and keratinocytes, and co-culture systems.
• Familiarity with ex vivo model development and scalable high-throughput assay development with a variety of readout methods.
• Cell editing techniques such as shRNA and CRISPR (including guide design and synthesis)

Benefits

Stemson Therapeutics’ mission is to bring the power of regenerative cell therapy to millions of hair loss sufferers by offering a truly curative solution to regrow hair follicles. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) offer the transformative capability of differentiating into any cell type in the human body, including the specialized cells that control hair follicle formation. Through cutting edge science based on iPSC technology developed by the company founders at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, Stemson pledges to make hair loss a problem of the past. The promise of helping millions of people overcome the emotional trauma and mental health challenges associated with hair loss is what drives our passionate team members every day. As innovative therapeutics start up, we’re looking for ambitious people with an entrepreneurial spirit, a patient-oriented mind set, and a desire to make a big difference in the world. Our culture is fueled by collaboration, openness, integrity and innovation.

Our office is located in sunny La Jolla, CA next to the University of California, San Diego in one of the great life science research and innovation hubs in the country. We offer a competitive pay, equity and benefits package, and the opportunity to have fun while developing a revolutionary cell therapy. If this excites you, let’s talk.