Research Scientist​/Engineer , SeaHub

Job Description

The Department of Genome Sciences has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist Engineer 2 to join the team.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Research Scientist/Engineer 2, Sea Hub, will perform molecular biology, cell biology, DNA sequencing, and data analysis experiments in the Pinglay lab. The Pinglay lab is focused on developing synthetic biology approaches to understand gene expression control, manipulate genome structure and engineer novel cellular states and is housed at the Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology. (  )

The Department of Genome Sciences (GS) is part of the University of Washington School of Medicine (UW SoM) and is comprised of 34 labs addressing leading edge questions in biology and medicine by developing and applying genetic, genomic, and computational approaches. GS is making major contributions in the application of genome science to understand the fundamentals of biology and to improve human health and well-being.

Genome Sciences is a collaborative department supported by very different academic disciplines. We work with a multitude of Program Investigators (PIs) in departments both on the UW campus as well as worldwide. The department has gone through significant expansion since its beginning in 2001 with annual grant awards of $39M in FY25. The department has 63 training, teaching, and research faculty.

The Sea Hub is a multi‑institutional collaborative initiative between the Allen Institute, the Chan‑Zuckerberg Initiative, and the University of Washington. The Sea Hub is led by Scientific Director Dr. Jay Shendure and will work towards developing technologies for molecular recording in living cells. Beyond this technology mandate, the Sea Hub will also serve as an organizing center for the burgeoning synthetic biology community in Seattle.

Sea Hub has cutting‑edge scientific infrastructure including DNA sequencers, tissue culture spaces and laboratory automation.

This researcher must be capable of developing and performing established molecular and cellular protocols and capable of performing tissue culture of mammalian cell lines in a Biosafety Level 2 (BSL2) environment, construct next‑generation sequencing libraries, and basic data analysis. Strong organizational skills and a strong sense of initiative are also very important. There will be opportunities for publications as well as presentations at scientific meetings.

This researcher will carry out work critical for the advancement of research projects in the Pinglay lab centered around using a combination of AI models and large‑scale DNA synthesis to program desired gene expression patterns in mammalian systems. This researcher will also help further collaborative research projects both within and beyond UW.

• 30%:
  Develop and perform routine molecular and cellular protocols and biological tasks such as mammalian stem cell tissue culture in BSL2 environment and nucleic acid amplification.
• 30%:
  Conduct an independent research project and/or further an existing research project in the lab with hands‑on molecular and cellular biological work and DNA sequencing, including constructing next‑generation sequencing libraries.
• 30%:
  Analyze data and prepare presentation materials (e.g. figures, slides) and assist with preparing publications and grant proposals. Present research at scientific meetings.
• 10%:
  Assist with lab organization and upkeep.

This position is eligible for H-1B sponsorship.

Bachelor’s degree in biology, molecular biology, genetics, or related field and two years of relevant experience, including working in a laboratory/research setting with experience in molecular biology workflows, cloning, and tissue culture processing in BSL2 environment, particularly stem cells.

Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

• Experience…