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Research Associate, Protein Purification & Quality Control

Medra· Science
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San FranciscoFull-timePosted 1mo ago

About the role

Research Associate to build and run protein production and quality control on Medra's Physical AI platform, executing automated workflows for antibody and alternative binder production from cells to purified material, with hands-on bench work and collaboration with robotics and software teams.

Responsibilities

  • Run automated mammalian cell growth and transfection for recombinant protein expression, including cell maintenance, expansion, and transient transfection
  • Perform protein purification on AKTA (FPLC) and KingFisher platforms — affinity capture, polishing, buffer exchange, and magnetic-bead-based processing
  • Execute analytical QC by SEC (analytical UPLC/HPLC) to assess purity, aggregation, and monomericity, and support additional QC as needed (concentration, endotoxin, SDS-PAGE)
  • Prepare buffers, resins, columns, and consumables, and carry out instrument cleaning, maintenance, and column packing/qualification to keep workflows running reliably
  • Execute purification and QC according to established SOPs, and help refine and document protocols as workflows mature
  • Partner with roboticists and software engineers to translate manual purification and QC steps into reliable, high-throughput autonomous protocols — including sample handling, deck/plate setup, and data pipeline integration
  • Perform first-pass data analysis and QC on chromatograms and SEC traces, tracking yield and purity and flagging anomalies for review
  • Maintain rigorous, well-organized experimental records in electronic lab notebooks (ELN) and support reproducibility across every batch you produce

Qualifications

  • B.S. or M.S. in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical/biological engineering, or a related discipline, with hands-on laboratory experience (research, internship, or 0–2+ years of industry/academic lab work)
  • Hands-on experience with protein purification — chromatography on AKTA/FPLC and/or bead-based purification — and comfort taking a sample from lysate or supernatant to purified protein
  • Hands-on wet-lab experience and comfort at the bench — mammalian cell culture, aseptic technique, pipetting, and careful execution of detailed protocols
  • Curiosity about protein biochemistry and analytical characterization, and eagerness to learn the theory and practical pitfalls
  • Strong documentation habits, attention to detail, and ability to juggle multiple tasks in parallel
  • A basic understanding of antibody structure and function, or a strong desire to learn it
  • A scrappy, can-do attitude — you figure things out, ask good questions, and get things done

Skills

Required:Mammalian cell cultureProtein purification (AKTA/FPLC; bead-based purification)Data analysis and ELN documentationCross-disciplinary collaborationProtocol development and SOPs
Nice to have:Analytical SEC / UPLC/HPLC

Benefits

  • An opportunity to change the way that scientific research happens
  • Fast-paced, creative, and collaborative work environment
  • Significant equity ownership
  • 401k
  • Medical and dental insurance
  • Unlimited PTO
  • Weekday dinners
Last updated Sep 2, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Medra

Hand over lab work

Scientists automate protocols with Medra’s autonomous robotic system.

BiochemistryCell BiologyGenomicsHistologyMicrobial discoveryAIRobotics
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