What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Associate / Senior Research Associate position at 92Bio, Inc.?
Department: Antibody Discovery & Engineering
Location: Hayward, CA, On-site
Role Overview
We are seeking a highly motivated and versatile Research Associate / Senior Research Associate to support our antibody discovery team. In this role you will contribute to phage display antibody discovery campaigns, library generation, and antibody purification and characterization. The ideal candidate thrives in a dynamic, startup biotech environment, takes initiative, and is eager to adopt new techniques and wear multiple hats.
Key Responsibilities
- Support phage display campaigns including library construction, panning/screening workflows, and clone tracking.
- Execute molecular biology workflows such as DNA cloning, bacterial transformation, sequence verification, and mutagenesis.
- Design and perform ELISA and other protein–protein interaction assays (e.g., BLI, SPR) to evaluate binding characteristics.
- Prepare and process samples for next generation sequencing (NGS) to monitor library diversity and enrichment.
- Maintain mammalian cell culture systems (including transient transfections), support antibody expression and harvest.
- Purify antibodies and recombinant proteins using chromatography techniques (e.g., Protein A, ion exchange, size exclusion) and support downstream characterization.
- Document experiments in electronic lab notebook (ELN); maintain accurate lab records and present results to project team.
- Adapt rapidly to emerging assays and technologies, contribute proactively in a dynamic, startup style laboratory environment.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Biotechnology, or related life science field.
- 2–3 years of industry experience in a biotech or pharma discovery setting.
- Demonstrated expertise in executing phage display workflows, including library construction, panning/selection campaigns, clone recovery, and downstream characterization of enriched binders.
- Proficiency in advanced molecular cloning methodologies (e.g., Gibson assembly, Golden Gate, site-directed mutagenesis) and associated molecular biology techniques such as transformation, colony screening, DNA preparation, and sequence verification.
- Proficiency in next-generation sequencing (NGS) sample preparation workflows, including library construction, and quality control.
- Self driven, flexible, eager to learn new methods and comfortable wearing multiple hats in a small startup team environment.
- Excellent organizational, communication, and documentation skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- Competency in mammalian cell culture (e.g., HEK293, CHO) and recombinant protein purification.
- Hands-on experience with protein–protein interaction assays, including BLI and SPR for kinetic and affinity measurements.
- Proficiency with data analysis software’s such as Prism and ELN systems such as Benchling is a strong plus.
Why Join Us
- Be part of a fast-moving startup with a strong discovery pipeline and early-stage biotech energy.
- Work directly on innovative antibody programs and contribute meaningfully to project milestones.
- Opportunity to learn and expand your technical skills set across phage display, cell line development, protein engineering, and early developability.
- Inclusive, dynamic team culture — you’ll have the chance to make a real impact.