Cell Line Development Research Associate

Prolific Machines is ushering in a new era of biotechnology with light. Our mission is to make next-generation therapies broadly available to patients. Our first-of-its-kind Photomolecular Platform uses light to precisely guide how cells produce complex biologics, enabling higher titers, improved quality, and faster development timelines. By helping partners overcome today’s manufacturing bottlenecks, we’re accelerating the delivery of life-changing medicines. Prolific is supported by leading investors, including Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Mayfield, and SOSV.

Help us create a brighter tomorrow with biology. We're looking for mission-driven, talented, and kind people to join our team.

Prolific Machines is a leading biotechnology company, using light to control expression of biotherapeutic proteins to increase titer or improve product quality attributes. We are seeking a motivated candidate to join our Cell Line Development (CLD) team as a Research Associate (RA) or Senior Research Associate (SRA). In this role the ideal candidate will play a crucial part in advancing scientific research, delivering pipeline projects, improving our Optogenetic Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells culture and process performance, conducting cellular and molecular biology studies to further engineer the CHO Optogenetic cell lines. This role is based on-site in our headquarters in Emeryville, CA.

• Conducting experiments independently, collecting and analyzing data in a timely manner, and maintaining detailed documentation in electronic lab notebooks. 
• Strong communication skills, ability to put the data together and present within the CLD group and across different groups and forums within the company. Ability to quickly analyze and provide critical data and figures to support presentations, patent applications, or publications.
• Collaborate closely with members of the CLD teams as well as other teams within the Prolific Machines, Contribute to lab maintenance and safety. 
• Responsibilities also include developing and optimizing analytical methods, ensuring adherence to safety and operational standards, following established protocols, and providing data for regulatory submissions. 
• This is a lab-based position, and onsite presence is required as dictated by Cell Line Development (CLD) responsibilities and experimental needs.

• Education & Experience: A Bachelor's degree with 3-6 years of relevant industry experience or a Master's degree with 2-3+ years of relevant experience. 
• Designing and Executing Experiments: Developing and proposing experimental plans, conducting experiments, and troubleshooting analytical techniques and methodologies
• Work Style: The candidate is expected to precisely follow protocols, design and execute experiments independently, and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced setting.
• Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential for documenting findings and effective collaboration. Familiarity with Word, Excel, PowerPoint or similar Google suite software and ability to perform independent data analysis and generating meaningful conclusions is required.

• Experience with molecular cloning and molecular biology techniques (PCR, protein quantification). 
• Experience with cell line development workflows (pool generation, clonal isolation, stability testing).
• Exposure to  high-throughput screening platforms (e.g., Beacon, Ambr, Octet, Automation). Scripting experience on the Tecan would be an added plus.
• Working knowledge of statistical analysis or design of experiments (DoE).
• Comfort working in a dynamic, fast-paced R&D environment.
• (Nice to have) Familiarity with optogenetic systems, inducible promoters, or light-responsive protein engineering.

Benefits: Generous equity package in an early stage company, retirement plan with company contribution, flexible PTO with healthy time off minimums, company-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability insurance, career coaching, mental health support, free team lunches everyday, great snacks, and companywide social events!

Diversity: We value diverse people, perspectives, and knowledge. To this end, we aim to foster a sense of belonging that enables everyone to bring their whole, authentic self to work everyday. We are committed to growing a diverse and inclusive team that encompasses all types of people. We believe this can only be achieved by acknowledging the ancestral, historic, and current systemic and communal inequities.