Vice President, Assay Development

Spun out of Stanford and MIT, Stellaromics is an innovative biotech startup founded in 2022 and located in Boston, MA. Our pioneering proprietary technology helps researchers and clinicians create comprehensive cellular maps enhancing our understanding of various diseases, with our flagship product STARmap and upcoming Pyxa™ suite of products. We have a passionate management team and committed investors who believe in our patented technology and overall mission to profoundly advance biomedical research and accelerate the discovery of life-saving treatments.

We are looking for a VP, Assay Development who will own the end-to-end performance and long-term vision for our assays. This role requires a unique combination of deep molecular biology expertise, strategic roadmap creation, hands‑on troubleshooting, and exceptional people leadership. If you are a high‑EQ leader who thrives on turning complex technical challenges into robust, commercially viable products, this is the role for you.

Vision &

Roadmap:

Define, champion, and execute a clear, compelling 3‑5 year technical vision and product roadmap for the Pyxa/STARmap assay portfolio, ensuring alignment with commercial goals and market needs.

Data Quality Ownership: Lead a focused effort on continuous data quality and robustness improvement of our STARmap and RIBOmap assays, ensuring we meet or exceed commercial specifications (e.g., sensitivity, reproducibility, dynamic range).

Design and Optimization: Direct the use of creative targeted assay development methods, rigorous Design of Experiments (DoE), and other statistical analysis to systematically improve assay performance, reduce variability, and ensure high reliability during scale‑up.

Expert Oversight: Provide authoritative technical guidance on all aspects of the assay, including complex molecular biology, nucleic acid chemistry, genomics, and multiplexed imaging protocols.

Root Cause Analysis: Function as the ultimate technical authority for deep root‑cause analysis and troubleshooting, combining biological, chemical, and engineering perspectives to solve challenging development problems.

Process Rigor: Establish and enforce best practices for assay documentation, technology transfer (Tech Transfer) to Manufacturing, and formal design control processes required for a commercial‑stage product.

Culture & Mentorship: Build, mentor, and inspire a high‑performing Assay Development team, fostering a culture of accountability, scientific rigor, and urgency.

Cross‑Functional Leadership: Serve as a key leader and team player in the organization, collaborating closely with Engineering (platform integration), Manufacturing (process transfer), R&D (new technology), and Product Management (customer specs) to ensure seamless product delivery. Strong emotional intelligence (EQ) is critical for managing these interfaces.

Resource Management: Manage department budget, timelines, and resource allocation to ensure on‑time and on‑budget delivery of critical assay milestones.

Education: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Bioengineering, or a related field.

Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in assay development within the biotechnology, diagnostics, or life sciences tool industry, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership/management role.

Technical Expertise: Deep technical understanding of complex genomics assays. Direct experience with spatial transcriptomics, multiplexed FISH (like STARmap), in situ sequencing, or similar highly multiplexed imaging/molecular platforms is essential.

Commercialization Track Record: Proven success taking novel molecular assays from late‑stage R&D through formal Verification, Validation, and Commercial Launch.

Leadership: Demonstrated ability to be both a strong, decisive leader and a collaborative, high‑EQ team player who contributes to the overall success of the company.

Mindset: A "can‑do" mentality with a fierce commitment to delivering quality assays on time and on budget.