Senior Research Associate, Molecular Engineering (Fixed-Term Contract)

Location: Onsite in Palo Alto, California, 5 days per week; occasional weekend work may be required. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Base salary: $84,250–$106,000 per year

Company

hirify.global is an independent nonprofit research organization combining artificial intelligence and biology to study complex diseases and accelerate scientific progress.

What you will do

• Execute stem cell culture and differentiation protocols for human pluripotent stem cell-derived microglia.
• Run and optimize medium- to high-throughput lentiviral transduction experiments for arrayed genetic perturbations.
• Use flow cytometry, imaging, immunostaining, and molecular biology techniques to characterize genetically perturbed cells.
• Support arrayed and pooled genetic perturbation screens for the Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative.
• Maintain detailed records in electronic lab notebooks and track materials and reagents in LIMS.
• Troubleshoot protocols, improve platform capabilities, and analyze and present experimental data.

Requirements

• BS in a relevant field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or MS in a relevant field with 2+ years of relevant postgraduate experience.
• Proficient experience with stem cell and progenitor cell culture and routine characterization.
• Experience running and analyzing flow cytometry experiments, including multicolor panels, immunostaining, and FlowJo.
• Experience with LIMS systems, ideally Benchling.
• Strong organizational, time management, oral communication, and written communication skills.
• Ability to work onsite in Palo Alto 5 days per week; occasional weekend work may be required.

Nice to have

• Experience differentiating human pluripotent stem cells into neural or immune lineages, especially microglia.
• Experience with plate-based or automation-compatible screening workflows.
• Hands-on experience with CRISPR-Cas9, genome editing, or other genetic perturbation techniques.
• Experience with molecular cloning, virus production, and cell line engineering.

Culture & Benefits

• Fixed-term 12-month position within a collaborative research environment.
• Long-term philanthropic funding and industry-like scientific resources.
• Opportunity to work across experimental and computational biology on Alzheimer’s disease research.
• High-autonomy environment supporting curiosity, continuous learning, and protocol improvement.