Research Associate II/III - R&D

Eitr Biologics, Inc., (Eitr) is a San Diego, CA based biotechnology company focused on the pursuit of novel next generation immunotherapeutics for the treatment of infectious diseases that are a current or emerging threat to public health. Our scientific approach emphasizes the development of technologies that will increase global accessibility to lifesaving immunotherapeutics. Eitr has fostered a robust and highly collaborative worldwide network of academic and government laboratories that share in our scientific goal to address unmet public health needs. Eitr scientists can expect to work in a collaborative atmosphere to advance promising early-stage exploratory technologies to clinical stages of drug development.

Eitr currently has an opening for a Research Associate II/III position in the Research and Development group, requiring the qualifications and responsibilities listed below.

Responsibilities

• Design, clone, and sequence verify expression plasmids for proteins of interest
• Maintain and transfect a variety of eukaryotic cell lines
• Monitor and assess cell viability and protein titer during expression runs
• Purify recombinant proteins from cell supernatants using affinity chromatography
• Characterize protein binding for competition group formation and binding kinetics using BLI or ELISA
• Performs experiments including SDS-PAGE, UV/Vis Spectroscopy, and Western Blot
• Ability to independently carry out tasks and duties as assigned, generally with minimal oversight or supervision
• Prepare buffers, reagents, and other materials necessary for experiments
• Records experimental data, writes data summaries in digital lab notebook
• Contributes to drafting of technical reports, as necessary
• Ensure all samples are properly labeled and stored
• Maintains common lab supply stocks as needed and general lab maintenance
• Performs internet searches to gather relevant information, record and present any relevant findings in a manner pursuant to facility protocol
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. in a biology related discipline with 2 years of experience in an academic or industry setting
• Ability to calculate molar solutions for buffer preparation
• Familiarity with basic laboratory equipment (e.g., micropipette, pipetman, scales, etc.)
• Experience with DNA/RNA preparations (e.g., Miniprep or Maxiprep)
• Experience with DNA primer design, PCR methodologies and cloning
• Able to perform experiments with good aseptic technique
• Experience working in a biosafety cabinet with mammalian cell tissue culture
• Experience with expressing recombinant proteins in a variety of eukaryotic cell types (CHO, 293, Drosophila, etc.)
• Knowledge of protein biochemistry
• Ability to follow written procedures/protocols precisely
• Good communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills are essential

Preferred Qualifications

• B.S. in a biology related discipline with 4 years of experience in an academic or industry setting
• Experience with protein tag-based affinity and FPLC based chromatography, SDS-PAGE, Western Blot, and spectrophotometric analysis
• Experience independently designing and troubleshooting experiments
• Experience with infectious disease immunotherapeutics
• Familiar with Cytiva AKTA FPLC systems and Unicorn software
• Experience with biolayer interferometry (BLI) protein quantitation and/or binding kinetics
• Experience performing ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) experiments
• Experience expressing and purifying antibodies or antibody-like molecules

Physical Demands of the Position Offered

The physical demands described here are representative, but not exhaustive, of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this laboratory position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

On-site role: This is a full-time position that requires the employee to physically report to the jobsite.

Lifting and Carrying: This position may require the ability to lift and carry laboratory equipment, glassware, and supplies weighing up to 40 pounds on occasion. Employees should be able to safely use appropriate equipment and follow proper lifting techniques.

Fine Motor Skills: Precise fine motor skills are essential for tasks such as pipetting and operating delicate laboratory equipment. Candidates should demonstrate manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination.

Standing and Walking: Laboratory work often involves prolonged periods of standing and walking while conducting experiments, monitoring equipment, and moving between workstations.

Sitting: Data analysis, documentation, and report writing are integral aspects of this role, requiring the ability to sit at a desk or workstation for extended periods.

Bending, Stooping, and Reaching: Employees may be required to bend, stoop, and reach to access equipment, samples, or materials on upper or lower shelves or within laboratory hoods. These activities may involve climbing ladders, stairs, step stools, or other structures. Candidates should be able to safely perform these tasks.

Vision: Good vision is essential for tasks such as reading labels, observing specimens, and using microscopes. Corrected vision and color vision may be required for accurate analysis.

Hearing: Laboratory environments may include equipment that produces noise. Adequate hearing is necessary for communication and safety awareness.

Use of Laboratory Equipment: Proficiency in the safe operation of laboratory equipment, including centrifuges, microscopes, and pipettes, is expected.

Laboratory Safety: Compliance with safety protocols, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as lab coats, gloves, safety goggles, and respiratory protection where required is mandatory.

Chemical Handling: The handling of chemicals and biological materials is a fundamental aspect of bioscience laboratories. This may include the ability to safely handle and transport hazardous materials.

Working with Biological Agents: Some positions may involve working with biological agents, which may require adherence to specific safety protocols and vaccinations.

Team Collaboration: Effective communication and collaboration with team members are essential for data sharing, experimental planning, and project coordination.

Candidates should be aware that the physical demands listed above are general guidelines and may vary depending on the specific role and workplace. It is important for applicants to inquire further about the physical requirements during the interview process to ensure they can perform the job safely and effectively.

Benefits

Eitr reasonably expects the annual base compensation for this role to be between $75,000 and $92,000. Title and salary are commensurate with previous applicable experience. Subject to certain terms and conditions, the role will be eligible for other benefits, including:

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
• Training & Development

Eitr is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee based on race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state, or local law. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity, and maintain employment statistics on applicants.

Eitr is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Eitr is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as H, L, TN, F, J, E, O.