What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Associate II, Trait Discovery position at Ohalo?
Position Title: Research Associate II, Trait Discovery
Location: Aptos, CA
Type: Full-time
Ohalo™ is seeking a Research Associate II to join our R&D team, working closely with the Trait Discovery Lead to uncover and prototype gene-edited traits that drive our crop products, including the Boosted Breeding™ system. This role integrates wet lab and dry lab approaches—from tissue culture and molecular biology to genomics and bioinformatics—to design, validate, and deploy novel traits in our portfolio crops.
You will work in a fast-paced, dynamic R&D environment, using state-of-the-art techniques in plant genetics, with significant opportunities to learn and grow. This position is ideal for someone eager to expand their expertise while making direct contributions to cutting-edge trait discovery research.
Responsibilities:
- Execute plant transformation and gene editing workflows (such as protoplast preparation, transfection, and plant regeneration).
- Perform molecular biology experiments including DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, genotyping, and other molecular assays.
- Provide support for candidate gene and genomic variation curation using in-house genomic resources, integrating wet lab data with computational analyses.
- Collaborate across R&D teams on research projects.
- Collaborate closely with crop teams to support trait validation in greenhouse and growth chamber assays.
- Analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental results.
- Conduct literature reviews and summarize relevant research articles to inform trait discovery strategies.
- Draft and refine SOPs; identify opportunities to improve workflows.
- Maintain organized records in an electronic notebook, shared lab resources, and equipment.
Qualifications:
- B.S. in Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, or related field with 2–3 years of lab experience, or M.S. with 1 years' experience.
- Solid understanding of plant molecular genetics.
- Strong hands-on skills in plant molecular biology (PCR, genotyping).
- Experience with plant tissue culture.
- Basic bioinformatic skills such as data retrieval from common databases, multiple sequence alignment, and genomic variation analysis.
- Ability to read, interpret, and summarize scientific literature relevant to plant genetics and trait discovery.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to work independently.
- Effective communicator and collaborative team player.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with Solanaceae or other crop systems and gene editing workflows (e.g., CRISPR/Cas).
- Familiarity with genomics/bioinformatics tools for SNP/indel analysis and trait discovery.
- Experience with greenhouse or field phenotyping.
- Demonstrated ability to draft SOPs and optimize protocols.
- Demonstrated ability to leverage AI tools such as (Cursor, ChatGPT) to build customized bioinformatic scripts and workflows.
The anticipated pay range for this role is $75,000 - $88,000 per year for our Aptos, CA location. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.
About Ohalo Genetics:
Ohalo™ aims to accelerate evolution to unlock nature's potential. Founded in 2019, Ohalo develops novel breeding systems and improved plant varieties that help farmers grow more food with fewer natural resources, increasing the yield, resiliency, and genetic diversity of crops to sustainably feed our population. Ohalo's breakthrough technology, Boosted Breeding™, will usher in a new era of improved productivity to radically transform global agriculture. For more information, visit www.ohalo.com.
Notes: If you previously applied for a job at Ohalo Genetics, we encourage you to restate your interest in the position by submitting your application.
No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time.
No recruiter submissions, please.
Salary : $75,000 - $88,000
