Senior Research Associate I (Cell Biology / Immunology)

Caribou Biosciences is a leading clinical-stage CRISPR genome-editing biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing transformative therapies for patients with devastating diseases. Our next-generation genome-editing technology enables superior precision to develop cell therapies that are armored to potentially improve antitumor activity. We believe the future of cell therapy is off-the-shelf, and we are advancing our pipeline of off-the-shelf, or allogeneic, cell therapies from our CAR-T and CAR-NK platforms as readily available treatments for patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors.
Members of the Caribou herd open their minds to new ideas and welcome diverse perspectives. We proudly assert that teams do their best work when their members are personally engaged, their ideas are taken seriously, and contributions are recognized. Members of the herd work from our headquarters in Berkeley, California, or remotely.
We are seeking a goal-oriented Senior Research Associate to help us propel the preclinical discovery and development of CAR-T cell therapy candidates. Using collaborative teamwork and your winning spirit, you will work closely and cross-functionally with other researchers on cutting-edge technologies to deliver on impactful research projects that we believe will ultimately positively impact the lives of patients. This role will be based in our laboratories in Berkeley, CA.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree, or equivalent experience in Cell Biology, Immunology or related discipline
• 5 years of cell biology and immunology experience working in an industry research setting
• Mammalian cell culture of primary cells (such as T cells, B cells) and associated assays for activation and proliferation
• Experience with in vitro cell-based assays (such as cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, etc.)
• Competency in multi-color flow cytometry for cell phenotyping, to include design of panels with greater than 5 colors
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment, with excellent organizational and time management skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, attention to detail, and ability to troubleshoot experimental procedures
• Proficiency in data analysis software such as FlowJo, GraphPad Prism, and Microsoft Office suite, along with familiarity with laboratory safety procedures and practices
• Must be able to work on site in Berkeley, and start work by 9:15am Monday - Friday
• Willingness and ability to share occasional weekend cell culture duties

• Maintain and expand various cell lines including media preparation, passaging, and cryopreservation
• Engineer cell lines using techniques such as CRISPR systems or lentiviral transduction, including clonal dilutions and characterization of the cell lines engineered by flow cytometry or other appropriate techniques
• Perform isolation, activation, and expansion of primary human T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells
• Gene editing and manipulation of primary cells using nucleofection and viral transduction
• Execute various functional assays to assess T cell activity, including cytotoxicity assays, proliferation assays, and cytokine production assays
• Design and implement multi-color flow cytometry panels for cell phenotyping
• Proficiently operate flow cytometry instrumentation and perform data analysis using Forecyt and FlowJo software
• Ensure proper planning and execution of experiments, adhering to timelines and project objectives
• Analyze assay results, interpret findings accurately, and effectively present them in internal lab meetings and one-on-one discussions
• Maintain precise documentation of experimental procedures and outcomes and maintain an up-to-date electronic laboratory notebook
• Contribute to routine lab maintenance activities, including reagent inventory management/purchase, and lab organization
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety protocols and procedures