Senior Scientist Molecular Assay Development (Molecular Diagnostics)

Location: Westbrook, Maine, United States of America

Base salary starting at $110,000, flexible based on experience; opportunity for an annual cash bonus.

Company

hirify.global develops diagnostics and technologies supporting pet health, water safety, and livestock and poultry disease protection, serving customers in more than 175 countries.

What you will do

• Own end-to-end PCR and digital PCR assay development, from design through analytical validation, ensuring reproducible data.
• Design and execute qPCR, digital PCR, multiplex, and other PCR-based assay strategies for Discovery research and molecular diagnostic goals.
• Troubleshoot assay optimization failures, quality outliers, and instrument issues; document root causes and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with bioinformatics on NGS data and with product development teams on data standards, QC thresholds, and result interpretation.
• Analyze and interpret quantitative PCR/dPCR data using sound statistical and analytical approaches to support assay performance claims.
• Author SOPs, technical reports, and experimental summaries; evaluate emerging PCR technologies and reagent chemistries; present findings and project updates to scientific and leadership audiences.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Genomics, or a closely related discipline; equivalent industry experience in molecular assay development, particularly diagnostic or clinical PCR assay development, will be considered.
• Hands-on proficiency in PCR-based assay design and development, including primer/probe design, assay optimization, and analytical validation for sensitivity, specificity, precision, and robustness.
• Expertise with digital PCR platforms, including instrument operation and absolute quantification principles.
• Experience designing, optimizing, and validating PCR-based assays from concept through analytical performance characterization, including specificity and sensitivity testing and robustness evaluation.
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills, including independently analyzing, interpreting, and troubleshooting PCR/dPCR datasets and translating results into scientific conclusions and recommendations.
• Experience working effectively in cross-functional, multidisciplinary teams with data analysis, bioinformatics, genomics, and product development groups.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presenting assay data, technical strategies, and project updates to scientific, cross-functional, non-scientific, and senior leadership audiences.
• Ability to comply with laboratory safety, ethical conduct, and materials handling standards.

Nice to have

• Working knowledge of NGS data and outputs and basic bioinformatics concepts sufficient to collaborate on PCR assay design.

Culture & Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision benefits available from day one.
• 5% matching 401(k).
• Additional financial support, pet insurance, mental health resources, volunteer paid days off, employee stock program, and foundation donation matching.
• Collaborative, multidisciplinary environment that encourages learning, discovery, and purposeful work.