Specialist, Cell Line Engineering; Center - Junior, Assistant, Associate, Specialist

Job Summary

The UCSF Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) Research and Engineering to Accelerate Discovery (READY) Center is a first‑of‑its‑kind translational platform that integrates academic discovery with industrial‑scale genome engineering. The Center accelerates understanding of disease biology and enables therapeutic discovery by combining CRISPR‑based genome editing, human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) systems, and advanced automation. Within this environment the Specialist, Cell Line Engineering will implement CRISPR‑based gene perturbation and expression engineering strategies, maintain and optimize iPSC–based model systems, and contribute to the development of robust, scalable engineering pipelines and integration of automation technologies.

• Design and implement advanced genome engineering strategies using CRISPR/Cas systems, including knockouts, targeted knock‑ins, landing pad systems, and gene expression modulation.
• Perform genome editing workflows in human cell systems, including iPSCs, with focus on quality, efficiency, reproducibility, and scalability.
• Execute molecular biology techniques such as cloning, nucleic acid extraction, PCR, and sequencing‑based validation.
• Support development and maintenance of workflow for clonal isolation, genotyping, and validation of engineered cell lines.
• Assist in process development to standardize and scale genome engineering workflows.
• Integrate automation and high‑throughput technologies (e.g., liquid handling systems) into cell engineering and assay workflows to increase throughput and data quality.
• Participate in process improvement and troubleshooting to standardize and scale workflows.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to build platform capabilities.
• Maintain accurate and well‑organized experimental records and contribute to data analysis and reporting.

• Junior Specialist:
  Baccalaureate degree (or equivalent) in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, or related field, or at least four years of research experience.
• Assistant Specialist:
  Master’s degree (or baccalaureate degree) in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, or related field with three or more years of research experience.
• Associate Specialist:
  Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, or related field or five to ten years of experience in the relevant specialization.
• Full Specialist:
  Terminal degree (or equivalent) in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, or related field or ten or more years of experience in the relevant specialization.
• Hands‑on experience with mammalian cell culture.
• Practical knowledge of molecular biology techniques (PCR, nucleic acid extraction, cloning).
• Exposure to genome engineering approaches such as CRISPR/Cas systems or related technologies.
• Ability to maintain clear and organized experimental documentation.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team‑oriented research environment.
• Effective communication skills and willingness to learn new techniques.

• PhD or Master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Bioengineering, or related field, or with five or more years of relevant laboratory experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Hands‑on experience with CRISPR/Cas genome editing in mammalian systems, including knockout, knock‑in, or gene regulation approaches.
• Experience working with human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), including maintenance, editing, and differentiation, particularly neural or disease‑relevant lineages.
• Experience developing high‑throughput or automated genome engineering pipelines using liquid handling systems (e.g., Hamilton).
• Experience with NGS‑based methods for assessing genome editing outcomes, including off‑target analysis (GUIDE‑seq, CIRCLE‑seq, amplicon sequencing).
• Experience developing or optimizing workflows for reproducibility, scalability, or throughput (process development, screening platforms).
• Familiarity with Design of Experiments (DoE) approaches for process optimization.
• Programming…