Research Associate - Vector Core
San Francisco Bay Area$95k - $120kFull-timePosted 4mo ago
About the role
Research Associate to establish, operate, and improve the AAV vector core for Merge Labs, focusing on production, QC, documentation, and process improvements to enable reliable vector delivery for preclinical testing and future human translation.
Responsibilities
- Run weekly AAV production workflows from mammalian cell culture and transfection through harvest, purification, concentration, aliquoting, and sample handoff.
- Perform QC assays to assess vector titer, purity, genome integrity, and lot-to-lot consistency.
- Prepare plasmid DNA and support molecular biology workflows for AAV constructs and production plasmids.
- Translate vector production requests into organized production runs, timelines, and handoffs.
- Maintain accurate lot records, sample metadata, QC results, deviations, and process data in an ELN.
- Maintain organized inventories of plasmids, cells, vector lots, and reagents.
- Follow SOPs for vector production and update them as workflows improve.
- Recognize, document, and communicate deviations from expected production or QC outcomes.
- Troubleshoot production issues and contribute to practical process improvements.
- As team needs evolve, support related viral or non-viral delivery workflows.
Qualifications
- A BS, BA, or MS in a scientific, engineering, or related field.
- Hands-on experience with mammalian tissue culture and aseptic technique.
- Experience with AAV, lentivirus, biologics production, or another biological workflow where reproducibility and sample tracking are critical.
- Practical molecular biology experience, such as plasmid preparation, cloning, PCR, and sequence verification.
- Experience running analytical or QC assays. Relevant examples include qPCR, SDS-PAGE, sequencing-based QC, ddPCR, or related methods.
- Strong documentation habits and experience maintaining accurate sample, lot, and process records in an ELN, LIMS, or another structured sample-tracking system.
- Experience following SOPs, recognizing deviations, and communicating issues early.
- An organized approach to managing multiple samples, assays, requests, and timelines.
- A collaborative, service-oriented mindset and motivation to make repeated workflows more reliable and efficient over time.
- Hands-on experience developing or engaging with automation workflows.
- Motivation to contribute in a fast-paced environment tackling frontier scientific and technical challenges.
Skills
Required:Mammalian tissue cultureAAV and/or viral vector productionMolecular biologyQC assaysDocumentation & ELN/LIMSSOPs & deviation managementProject coordination
Nice to have:Automation workflows
Benefits
- Offers Equity
- Compensation: $95K – $120K
Last updated Jul 22, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.
About Merge Labs
Introducing Merge Labs
Meet Merge Labs – a research lab with the long-term mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency, and experience.
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