Scientist I, Molecular Biology

Seattle, WA
Synthetic Biology & Biophysics /
Full Time /
On-site
Outpace Bio is a drug development company reimagining cell function through protein design to make cells the future of medicine. We believe that cells are naturally programmed by evolution to make the wrong decisions in cancer and autoimmune disease, and curative cell therapies will only be achieved by overcoming the default biological mechanisms that limit their efficacy and safety. Led by co-founders of Lyell Immunopharma, our world-class scientific team is developing smart cell therapies that reprogram complex biological processes in ways that small molecules and biologics cannot. We use protein design and synthetic biology to engineer cells to make better decisions inside the patient and to productively engage the endogenous immune system.  Our unique partnership model allows us to efficiently explore diverse cell therapy modalities and accelerates clinical validation so that we can bring curative therapies to patients. We value passion for science, innovation, collaboration, inclusion, and respect. 

At Outpace Bio, we believe that the highest performing teams include people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences.  We are committed to building an open, diverse, and inclusive culture for all employees. Recognizing that the best candidates do not always match all criteria of the job description, we encourage you to apply if you think you would be a good fit for the role and are inspired by our mission to cure disease by pushing the boundaries of biology.

The Synthetic Biology & Biophysics team is seeking a motivated Scientist to join the molecular biology team. You will be responsible for the design, construction, and optimization of complex molecular constructs for cell therapy applications, protein engineering and production, and technology development. In this role, you will work collaboratively with other molecular biology and automation Scientists to develop efficient high throughput cloning and downstream functional screening workflows. The ideal candidate will have solid molecular biology experience and a process-focused mindset, and be motivated to optimize protocols, streamline workflows, and implement scalable data and inventory management strategies in collaboration with other functions. 

Responsibilities (Position responsibilities may include, but are not limited to):

    • Design and build complex DNA constructs to support ambitious research and development project goals 
    • Work collaboratively with scientists across the molecular biology, automation, and functional screening teams to optimize high-throughput cloning and downstream cell-based screening processes
    • Develop workflows and tools to accelerate the design-build-test cycle for hundreds of molecular constructs
    • Optimize internal processes for scalable and efficient data and inventory management 
    • Support molecular biology technology development and the implementation of new technologies
    • Prepare SOPs, detailed protocols, and technical reports as required
    • Maintain a detailed and well-organized record of experiments in an electronic notebook 
    • Provide guidance to junior team members and emphasize best practices

Qualifications (Required):

    • PhD or BS + 6 years/MS + 4 years of relevant experience in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, or related field
    • Solid knowledge of molecular engineering, and substantial hands on experience in modern molecular cloning methods, including Golden Gate assembly and Gibson assembly
    • Extensive direct experience with molecular biology techniques for DNA and RNA manipulation, including DNA and RNA extraction, plasmid amplification and purification, PCR, nucleic acid modification enzymes
    • Familiar with Benchling or other sequence design and ELN/LIMS software
    • Highly detail-oriented and organized, with excellent record keeping and data management skills
    • Excellent communication skills, self-motivated, and able to work both independently and collaboratively to meet timelines in a fast paced environment

Qualifications (Preferred):

    • Experience with high-throughput cloning workflows involving >96 constructs
    • Experience with lab automation using liquid handling robots such as Echo, Biomek, Hamilton, Tecan etc.
    • Experience with lentiviral production, mammalian cell culture, and/or FACS
    • Experience with NGS platforms, sequencing library prep, and NGS data analysis
    • Bioinformatics, coding, or database management experience
$105,000 - $119,000 a year
Full Time Employees (and their eligible dependents) may enroll in Outpace's medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability, flexible spending account, and 401k plan. In addition, employees may receive stock option grants to be outlined in their offer of employment. Outpace employees enjoy flexible PTO, paid sick leave which complies with local requirements, and twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year. Outpace also offers a generous paid parental leave policy to all regular full-time employees.

Outpace Bio is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. If you are legally authorized to work in the United States now, or in the future without any form of sponsorship, we encourage you to apply.