Bench Scientist

Job Title: Bench Scientist II

Location: Groton, CT

Employment Type: W2 Contract

Duration: 12 months, with possible extension

Salary/Rate: $30–$31 per hour on W2.

Good-Faith Compensation Statement: The stated pay range represents the employer’s good-faith estimate of the compensation reasonably expected for this position at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as relevant experience, education, skills, qualifications, business needs, and applicable legal requirements.

Benefits: This is a contract position; no employer-provided benefits are provided for this role.

Job Summary

We are seeking a motivated Bench Scientist II / Laboratory Research Associate to support in vitro pharmacology and assay development activities in a research laboratory environment. The position will focus on executing plate-based biological assays, operating specialized laboratory instrumentation, generating high-quality experimental data, and performing data analysis.

The successful candidate will have hands-on experience with plate-based and high-throughput assay workflows and the ability to perform laboratory activities with appropriate independence while following established protocols, safety requirements, and data-quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine laboratory experiments using plate-based assay platforms.
• Execute in vitro pharmacology and biological assays according to established protocols.
• Operate and maintain specialized laboratory instrumentation, including fluorescence-based plate reader systems such as FLIPR or comparable technologies.
• Support high-throughput screening (HTS) and related assay workflows.
• Culture and maintain cell lines for experimental use.
• Monitor experimental data quality and perform appropriate quality-control procedures.
• Analyze, interpret, and organize experimental data.
• Prepare datasets, summaries, and experimental results for scientific review.
• Maintain accurate and timely laboratory records and documentation.
• Follow applicable laboratory safety procedures, protocols, and established operating practices.
• Collaborate with laboratory team members to support ongoing research activities.
• Assist with transitioning outsourced assay activities into internal laboratory operations.
• Support assay transfer, process implementation, or related laboratory activities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline.
• 2–4 years of hands-on laboratory experience in an industry or research environment.
• Experience with FLIPR (Fluorescence Imaging Plate Reader) or comparable fluorescence-based plate reader technology.
• Hands-on experience conducting plate-based biological assays.
• Cell culture experience.
• Experience operating laboratory instrumentation and associated software platforms.
• Ability to generate, analyze, and interpret experimental data.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data integrity and quality.
• Ability to work effectively and professionally in a collaborative laboratory environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in in vitro pharmacology.
• Experience supporting high-throughput screening (HTS) workflows.
• Familiarity with fluorescence-based assay technologies.
• Experience using GraphPad Prism or comparable scientific data-analysis software.
• Experience with electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs).
• Previous experience in a pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, or comparable research environment.
• Familiarity with assay transfer, assay validation, or laboratory process implementation.
• Experience working in plate-based, automated, or high-throughput laboratory environments.

Work Requirements

• This is a primarily laboratory-based, onsite position in Groton, Connecticut.
• The role requires regular hands-on laboratory work and operation of scientific instrumentation.
• The position involves a combination of laboratory experimentation, data analysis, quality-control activities, and documentation.
• Employees must follow applicable laboratory safety requirements, standard operating procedures, and site-specific policies.
• Candidates should be comfortable working in a collaborative laboratory environment and handling routine laboratory equipment and materials.
• The position is particularly suited to candidates with experience in plate-based, high-throughput, assay-driven laboratory workflows.
• Experience focused primarily on animal handling, tissue dissection, histology, or animal imaging is not the primary focus of this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The employer is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications, skills, experience, and business needs. The employer does not discriminate on the basis of any legally protected characteristic under applicable law.

Reasonable accommodations may be available to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.

Application

Interested candidates should submit a current resume highlighting relevant laboratory, plate-based assay, cell culture, instrumentation, and data-analysis experience. Applicants should provide accurate information regarding their qualifications and professional experience.