Research Associate II – Drug Discovery

Research Associate II – Drug Discovery

Seattle, WA | Onsite | Direct Hire

Anticipated Salary Range: $80,000–$90,000

Yoh is proactively building a talent pipeline for an anticipated Research Associate II – Drug Discovery opportunity with a biotechnology company in Seattle, WA.

We are seeking a hands-on bench scientist with particularly strong RT-qPCR and mammalian cell culture experience who enjoys assay development, troubleshooting, and supporting early-stage drug discovery research.

This individual will work closely with scientists across biology, proteomics, automation, and computational disciplines to execute molecular and cell-based experiments, evaluate compound activity, validate screening hits, and optimize assays supporting drug discovery programs.

• Perform mammalian cell culture, including maintenance and experimental manipulation of cancer cell lines.
• Execute RT-qPCR and multiplex RT-qPCR assays to evaluate gene expression and compound activity.
• Design, evaluate, and optimize primers, probes, and oligonucleotides
  .
• Conduct cell-based assays, including viability, proliferation, apoptosis, reporter, and compound-response assays.
• Perform compound-treatment, dose-response, and follow-up validation experiments.
• Support validation and characterization of hits identified through screening campaigns.
• Develop, optimize, troubleshoot, and scale molecular and cell-based biological assays.
• Analyze experimental results and communicate findings to cross-functional scientific teams.
• Maintain accurate laboratory documentation, protocols, and experimental records.
• Collaborate with scientists across biology, proteomics, automation, and computational/data-science functions.

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, molecular biology, cell biology, cancer biology, biochemistry, or a related scientific discipline.
• Approximately 3+ years of relevant hands‑on laboratory experience; candidates with a master’s degree and relevant practical laboratory experience may also be considered.
• Strong hands‑on RT-qPCR experience.
• Strong hands‑on mammalian cell‑culture experience.
• Experience designing, selecting, or optimizing primers, probes, or oligonucleotides.
• Experience developing, optimizing, or troubleshooting biological assays.
• Ability to independently organize, execute, document, and analyze multiple experiments.
• Strong scientific communication and laboratory documentation skills.

• Biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug-discovery experience.
• Experience working with cancer cell lines
  .
• Compound screening or hit-validation experience.
• Multiplex RT-qPCR
  .
• CRISPR, RNAi, transfection, or related gene-perturbation techniques.
• Gene-regulation or transcription-factor biology.
• Medium- or high-throughput screening.
• Laboratory automation.
• Graph Pad Prism or similar scientific-analysis software.

The strongest candidate will be a hands‑on Research Associate who has personally performed RT-qPCR and mammalian cell culture at the bench and can speak in detail about assay optimization, troubleshooting, experimental design, and data interpretation.

This opportunity is especially well suited for a scientist who enjoys solving experimental problems, working across multiple biological techniques, and contributing directly to fast-moving drug-discovery programs.

• Employment Type:
  
  Direct Hire
• Location:
  
  Seattle, WA
• Work Arrangement:
  Onsite
• Anticipated Base Salary Range: $80,000–$90,000 annually

This is an anticipated upcoming hiring need. Yoh is proactively identifying qualified candidates in advance of the client's hiring timeline.

• Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Benefits (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (for employees working…