Senior Scientist, Assay Development – Sample Prep

Senior Scientist, Assay Development – Sample Prep

Foresite Labs | Posted Feb 28

Full-time

California

Advanced (5-10 yrs)

Location:

San Diego, CA

Job Type: Full-Time

$130,000-$140,000

We are a venture-backed, stealth‑stage biotechnology company based in San Diego, focused on developing novel technologies that will redefine how disease is detected, characterized, and managed with a novel approach. Our mission is to fundamentally transform healthcare through a convergence of innovation across multiple scientific disciplines.

Founded by industry veterans with decades of experience in life sciences, our leadership team brings a proven track record of translating scientific insight into successful commercial products. Our investors include some of the most respected names in healthcare and deep tech.

We are seeking a Senior Scientist, Assay Development to lead development and optimization of sample preparation. This role will own and/or drive technical leadership across manual and automated workflows. This person will also lead studies evaluating preanalytical factors impacting performance.

The ideal candidate brings strong biochemistry and molecular biology fundamentals and practical experience translating methods into high‑throughput automated workflows in a regulated clinical lab setting.

• Evaluate, develop, optimize, and characterize sample prep workflows for clinical assays.
• Define critical‑to‑quality parameters and build robustness into protocols.

• Design and execute studies on preanalytical and operational variables.
• Convert study outcomes into specifications, acceptance criteria, SOPs, and training materials for clinical workflows.

• Build automation‑friendly methods and workflows upfront and support deployment on our platforms; partner with process/automation engineers to scale to throughput targets.
• Evaluate and support tech transfer into routine operations.

• Lead and/or support verification/validation activities related to sample prep/extraction.
• Produce high‑quality documentation (protocols, study plans, reports) appropriate for regulated environments.

• Work closely with Assay R&D, Clinical Lab Operations, Automation Engineering, Software, and Quality to ensure end‑to‑end performance.

• Required:
  • PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, or related field with 3+ years (or MS with 5+ years) of relevant industry experience.
  • Hands‑on expertise with extraction chemistry and workflows.
  • Experience in high‑throughput laboratory automation and/or process engineering workflows.
  • Experience working with LIMS systems.
  • Strong experimental design and data‑driven optimization skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to author robust protocols and communicate results through clear documentation and technical presentations.
• Preferred:
  • Product development experience for a regulated clinical lab.
  • Familiarity with end‑to‑end performance considerations and method development.
  • LIMS integration and data flow experience.

• Influence the foundational technologies and strategies of a company poised to shape the future of healthcare.
• Work in a dynamic, collaborative environment where innovation and scientific rigor are deeply valued.
• Join a seasoned and multidisciplinary team tackling high‑impact problems at the intersection of science and engineering.
• Competitive compensation and equity package, comprehensive benefits, and flexibility to support work‑life integration.

Compensation Range: $130K - $140K