Scientist, Stem Cells Jobs

Axent Biosciences, located in iconic Bakar labs, Berkeley, CA (https://news.berkeley.edu/2021/12/08/a-first-look-inside-uc-berkeleys-bakar-bioenginuity-hub/) is seeking an exceptional, highly motivated, professional to join our mission to revolutionize cell therapy manufacturing using our 3D cell cultivation technology. In this full-time Scientific role, the successful candidate will work with the Axent team and the process development group to develop methodologies to grow and differentiate human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) with the target to generate a therapeutic cell product. This position will report to the Lead of Research Discovery and Analytical Development.

The successful applicant will have a background in pluripotent stem cell biology, performing assays, and cell culture media development for cell culture and differentiation. Experience with 3D cell culture formats and neurosciences is preferred.

Responsibilities:

• This position requires hands-on laboratory work with weekend and/or evening hours as necessary.
• Support technology transfer and generation of data for regulatory fillings
• Perform additional duties to support the safe and efficient operation of the laboratory, and other duties as assigned.
• Perform design of experiments (DOE) to define optimal culture conditions for hPSC and to differentiate cells to specified clinically applicable cells.
• Provide high-quality hPSC-derived cells to other scientists working on analytical assay development, and quality control.
• Evaluate platform technologies and instrumentation for internal use or potential outsourcing opportunities, and work with outside vendors for customized systems.
• Collaborate with colleagues in analytical development to establish critical process parameters for critical quality attributes of the cell product(s).
• Help develop methodologies to scale cell expansion to support technology transfer to manufacturing.
• Maintain accurate and thorough records of research and deliver formal scientific presentations and reports internally to interdisciplinary teams and supervisor(s) including progress reports, technical proposals, drafts of new protocols, standard operating procedures, batch records and other process and cGMP documentation.
• Work with a team of scientists on developing protocols for hPSC cell expansion and cryopreservation with the target of generating cell banks and transferring technology know-how to manufacturing.

Qualifications:

• Excellent teamwork, oral/written communication, time management, analytical, critical thinking, record-keeping, and organizational skills.
• High scientific integrity, committed to ethics and scientific rigor.
• B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in cell biology, neurosciences, bioengineering, or a related life science discipline.
• Background in developing cell banks (MCB and WCB) and cell cryopreservation is preferred. Industry experience related to cell banking processes is a plus.
• Background in differentiating iPSCs to cells of central nervous system is preferred.
• Background with mammalian cell culture and culturing ESCs or iPSCs. In vitro differentiation of hPSC culture and 3D culture is preferred.