Research Associate in Molecular Biology

at  ZAG BIO INC

BENEFITS:

• 401(k)
• Bonus based on performance
• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Opportunity for advancement
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Stock options plan
• Training & development
• Vision insurance
  Zag Bio was founded with a vision to develop more precise, potent, and impactful medicines for immune-mediated diseases. Zag Bio is working to discover and develop therapies targeted directly to the thymus, with the goal of generating central immune tolerance.
  Our technology platform is inspired by the work of co-founder Diane Mathis of Harvard Medical School, and operates across multiple therapeutic platforms, underpinned by a deep technical interrogation of thymus biology. In addition to Dr. Mathis, Zag Bio was co-founded by Alan Crane (Polaris Partners), Jo Viney (Seismic Therapeutics), and John Kulman (Zag Bio). Zag Bio is a stealth mode biotech company, poised for growth in line with our ambition to transform the treatment of immune-mediated diseases.
  We are seeking a lab-based Research Associate with experience in conventional molecular biology techniques and assay development. The successful applicant will embrace the hands-on ethos of a start-up company, provide critical support for combinatorial cloning efforts, and generate molecular reagents needed for validating our therapeutic platform. We seek intellectually curious candidates who take a data-driven and rigorous approach to solving problems. Our work is team-based, and this role requires extensive collaboration with colleagues in therapeutic and platform development teams.
  Responsibilities

In this role, you will be reporting to the Head of Computational and Molecular Biology and responsible for the design, production, and optimization of molecular biology reagents, including:

• Generating and maintaining DNA construct libraries for test article production
• Performing high throughput cloning of plasmid constructs by Golden Gate assembly and conventional cloning, and overseeing plasmid production by external vendors
• Screening of high-throughput plasmid and viral libraries in mammalian lines and primary cell cultures
• Plasmid constructs design and analysis of Sanger sequencing data by using DNA software (e.g., SnapGene, Benchling, Geneious)

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Minimum of a BA/BS or equivalent degree in biology, microbiology, biochemistry, bioengineering, or a related discipline with 1-2 years of relevant research experience. Title will be based on education, skills, and experience level.
• Strong molecular biology skills including Gibson Assembly, Gateway and conventional cloning methods, knowledge in plasmid construct design, agarose gel electrophoresis, DNA purification, plasmid preparation, primer design, PCR, and Sanger DNA sequencing analysis.
• Hands-on experience with molecular biology software such as SnapGene or Geneious
• Experience with mammalian cell culture.
• Experience with genomic DNA and RNA purification from various mammalian cell lines and primary cells.
• A passion for organization and experience with sample tracking and maintenance of reagent registries
• Excellent analytical, organizational, communication, and time management skills
• Experience developing molecular assays such as RT-PCR, digital PCR, and ELISA
• Experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) library preparation for RNA-seq and DNA-seq.
• Experience with transfection of cultured mammalian cells by lipofection, electroporation and/or with lipid nanoparticles.
  Zag Bio values the diversity of our workforce and maintains a deeply respectful, values-driven working environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person’s race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, or any characteristic protected under applicable law.
  We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies for any employment opportunities at this time

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Organization and tracking of DNA constructs and associated sequencing data across multiple projects.
• Collaboration with teammates to execute project plans, present data and recommend next steps.
• Authorship of research reports and relevant sections of regulatory documents to support first-in-human studies and contribute to intellectual property filings.
• Documentation of research activities and findings in electronic laboratory notebook and reagent registries in keeping with the highest industry standards

In this role, you will be reporting to the Head of Computational and Molecular Biology and responsible for the design, production, and optimization of molecular biology reagents, including:

• Generating and maintaining DNA construct libraries for test article production
• Performing high throughput cloning of plasmid constructs by Golden Gate assembly and conventional cloning, and overseeing plasmid production by external vendors
• Screening of high-throughput plasmid and viral libraries in mammalian lines and primary cell cultures
• Plasmid constructs design and analysis of Sanger sequencing data by using DNA software (e.g., SnapGene, Benchling, Geneious