What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Scientist (Platform) position at General Control?
The Platform Scientist will drive protein engineering campaigns end to end, discovering and iteratively refining epigenetic editor systems from plasmid design through mammalian cell-based screening and quantitative data analysis. You will report directly to the Founding Head of Research and play a defining role in building the operational and scientific infrastructure that this platform will scale on.
This role is for someone who draws real satisfaction from making a complex, cyclical workflow run cleanly and repeatably — and who takes comfort operating in a fast-moving, core-team environment where lab-based discoveries translate to in vivo proofs-of-concept on the order of days. You will directly establish the systems and data standards that a growing team will inherit. If you are the kind of scientist who sees a blank slate as a creative challenge, we want to hear from you.
Only applications submitted to jobs@generalcontrol.inc will be considered. We are not reviewing linkedin applications.
WHAT YOU’LL DO
Construct Design & Library Management
Own the plasmid library lifecycle: cloning strategy (Gibson, Golden Gate, restriction-ligation), library QC, sequence verification, and annotated inventory management across hundreds to thousands of constructs.
Design and execute delivery strategies — lentiviral vectors, lipofection, and mRNA-based modalities — appropriate to each experimental context.
Develop and disseminate SOPs built to the standard that a growing team will rely on from day one.
Cell-Based Screening & Assay Development
Execute arrayed and pooled epigenetic editor screening campaigns in human cell lines, with flow cytometry and similar scalable readouts across early and late kinetic timepoints.
Develop and optimize assays from scratch; troubleshoot rigorously and document to a standard that makes replication straightforward.
Characterize editor activity across effector combinations, target loci, and cell types; distinguish what is gene-context-specific from what is platform-general.
Manage reagent inventory and procurement logistics to ensure uninterrupted operation of the screening pipeline.
Data Analysis & Sample Tracking
Process, manage, and analyze large flow cytometry and NGS datasets to ensure accurate assessment of target expression kinetics, QC metrics, and cross-target correlations.
Maintain rigorous ELN records and sample tracking systems (Benchling or equivalent) that keep large plate-based experiments fully traceable.
Perform root-cause analysis for workflow deviations; implement corrective actions and feed learnings back into SOPs.
Translate data into clear go/no-go and hit-to-lead recommendations; present findings and experimental plans directly to Platform, Translational, and external collaborators.
CRO Strategy & External Operations
Identify when it is faster or more capital-efficient to outsource (NGS-based epigenomics, in vivo studies, large-scale synthesis) versus build in-house, and manage those partnerships end to end.
Write CRO scopes of work, maintain scientific relationships with partner contacts, and QC incoming data with the same standards applied internally.
WHAT YOU BRING
Required
PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, cell biology, or a closely related field, with 0–3 years of postdoctoral or industry experience; OR MS/BS with 5 years of demonstrated scientific independence in a relevant industry setting.
Deep hands-on expertise in mammalian molecular biology: multi-fragment cloning, library construction and QC, lentiviral packaging, mammalian cell culture, and quantitative flow cytometry.
Track record of owning complex, multi-stage research projects independently — from design through interpretation — and executing swiftly without requiring day-to-day direction.
Experience with arrayed screening in 96- and 384-well formats, including liquid handling automation.
Bonus Points
Prior experience setting up or scaling a research lab, workflow, or screening platform at an early-stage company.
Direct experience with epigenetic editing, CRISPR-based gene regulation, or chromatin/transcriptional control at endogenous loci.
Proficiency in Python for data analysis: writing scripts and pipelines from scratch to process, QC, and visualize large screening datasets.
Familiarity with NGS-based epigenomics assays: CUT&RUN, ATAC-seq, bisulfite sequencing, or amplicon-based methylation quantification.
Experience with LNP-, AAV-, or mRNA-based delivery of gene-regulatory payloads, in vitro or in vivo.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive salary and meaningful early-stage equity; you are a foundational member of this team and your compensation reflects it.
Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, and 401(k).
Direct scientific collaboration on problems that are genuinely unsolved and therapeutically relevant.
The opportunity to shape the scientific culture and operational DNA of a company from its earliest stage.
Visa sponsorship available where applicable.