Senior Scientist, iPSC Core Lead

Experience level: PhD or equivalent work experience

The position

We’re seeking a motivated, independent, and highly organized iPSC Scientist to own and scale our iPSC core. You will play a central role in building the foundation of Conception’s preclinical and, later, manufacturing arm for CMC readiness.

This is a high-ownership, high-growth role that starts heavily in the lab—learning systems, people, and protocols—and grows into leading a large core spanning multiple iPSC lines and differentiation protocols. You will establish stability, traceability, and consistency across our iPSC operations, implementing strong QC guidelines and standard practices.

Over time, you will expand the core to manage multiple iPSC lines and differentiation protocols, build predictive QC systems (ML imaging, sequencing), and prepare workflows for preclinical and translational work.

Our mission

Conception is pioneering the future of reproductive biology by generating functional human eggs from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Our mission is to unlock new possibilities for fertility, reproductive health, and genetic diversity. We are building a world-class team at the intersection of stem cell biology, developmental biology, and synthetic biology to make this vision a reality.

What you’ll do

• Organize and run the iPSC core day-to-day

• Maintain cell banks and execute QC for iPSCs and feeder lines

• Track QC results, reagents, lots, consumables, and equipment; manage incubators and hoods in collaboration with Operations

• Work closely with Operations to ensure differentiation protocols remain extremely stable and repeatable

• Build and document SOPs for routine workflows

• Collaborate with the Cell Engineering team to validate, QC, bank, and integrate new cell lines into the core

• Establish strong communication loops with R&D teams to manage cell handoffs, define acceptance criteria, and communicate disruptions or delays to maintain quality
  

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and grow a small team; set expectations for consistency, documentation, and accountability

• Keep junior scientists engaged and motivated on core work; invest in training and mentorship

• Coordinate across R&D and Operations to communicate timings, risks, delays, and mitigations proactively
  

R&D and QC Innovation

• Collaborate with R&D scientists to standardize and scale directed differentiation of at least one lineage, expanding to multiple lines over time

• Partner with ML and computational biology experts to explore automated imaging and RNAseq as predictors of long-term culture success

• Develop and implement new QC methods for differentiations
  Propose innovations to improve cell quality, efficiency, and early risk detection
  

What we’re looking for

• PhD in Cell or Developmental Biology or related field (preferred), or Master’s with relevant industry experience

• Extensive, senior-scientist-level experience with iPSC culture, naïve pluripotency (preferred), and differentiation protocols to one or more lineages

• Proven ability to run organized, traceable, high-quality cell culture operations

• Experience mentoring or managing junior scientists

• Exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and proactive

• Strong communicator and collaborator

• Motivation to build systems that scale from R&D to preclinical and CMC readiness
  

Why join us

• Impact: Define and accelerate one of Conception’s most critical programs, with the potential to transform human reproduction.

• Ownership: Operate with autonomy inside a growing biotech company.

• Growth: Build and lead a team from the ground up.

• Mission-driven: Work alongside passionate scientists tackling one of the most exciting frontiers in biology with a deeply aligned team.
  

We are well funded and well connected in Silicon Valley. We offer competitive pay, company equity, and excellent healthcare benefits for these positions.

‍To learn more about the original mouse proof of concept to live birth that inspired us, see https://www.nature.com/articles/nature20104