Research Associate – Lentivirus Engineering

Research Associate – Lentivirus EngineeringEnoda CellworksSan Francisco Bay Area, CAWe are seeking a highly motivated Research Associate – Lentivirus Engineering to join our team who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced, and creative environment in Menlo Park, CA. You will work closely with the founding team to generate the foundational science at Enoda and play a critical role in the future direction and culture of the company. The ideal candidate has strong mammalian cell culture and virus production experience, with the organization and attention to detail to own a reliable viral vector production workflow. In close collaboration with our scientific team, you will produce the lentiviral vectors that power Enoda’s design–build–test cycle while keeping our BSL2 lab organized, stocked, and always ready for the next experiment.As an early employee, you will have a huge impact on the culture and research of a team dedicated to saving lives through cell engineering.Enoda’s VisionSynthetic biology has transformed cells into medicine, harnessing their native potential to target cancers, clear viral infections, repair wounds, overcome autoimmunity, reverse aging, and beyond. At Enoda, we believe that the cells that make up our bodies hold the key to cure everything that afflicts us. Our mission is to chart the phenotypic landscape of our cells, discovering ways to transform them into potent disease fighting machines. The development of cell therapies has been dominated by relying on what is currently known to double down on specific receptors, cell types, and indications without regard for finding the optimal mix. Enoda is a team of synthetic biologists looking to reverse this paradigm by combining our novel receptors that exploit untapped pathways with high-throughput screening and systems immunology - engineering the right cell type with the right tools for the right indication. We are building towards a future where every facet of cells are precisely engineered to maximize the therapeutic potential.ResponsibilitiesOwn end-to-end lentiviral vector production, including plasmid and cell-line readiness, viral packaging, titering, documentation, and inventory.Maintain viral production readiness so vector requests are completed reliably and without preventable delays.Execute viral production and titering according to established SOPs with exceptional consistency and attention to detail.Maintain accurate, real-time records of viral production, titers, stocks, and inventory in Benchling.Own the day-to-day operations of Enoda’s BSL2 mammalian culture lab, keeping the space, equipment, supplies, and shared resources organized, stocked, and ready for use.Required Qualifications2+ years of industry experience performing mammalian cell culture in a BSL2 laboratory.Hands-on experience with viral vector production, including transfection, viral harvest, and titering.Demonstrated ability to execute SOP-driven laboratory workflows with exceptional consistency, accuracy, and attention to detail.Strong mammalian cell culture skills and experience maintaining cell lines for routine experimental or production workflows.Exceptional organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to maintain laboratory supplies, inventories, documentation, and experimental workflows without constant oversight.Demonstrated ability to identify, troubleshoot, and escalate problems quickly before they disrupt downstream work.Preferred QualificationsExperience independently owning routine lentiviral production workflows in an industry setting.Experience with flow cytometry-based lentiviral titering and analysis.Experience maintaining lentiviral packaging and titer cell lines such as LentiX and SUPT1.Experience with plasmid preparation and maintaining plasmid inventories for viral production.Experience with Benchling or similar electronic laboratory notebook and inventory management systems.This job might be great for you, if you…Operate with reliability and accountabilityWant to put your organizational strength and attention to detail toward creating cures for patients.Enjoy working in a small team of impact-oriented engineers and scientists.Are excited to step into responsibilities that elevate a whole team’s success.Are passionate about building a community dedicated to helping the world through cell engineering.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.