Be an Early Applicant
GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured.
The Role
The Senior Scientist will lead process integration and optimization for new assays in a regulated lab, working closely with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and improve processes.
Summary Generated by Built In
Our mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. We are working to change the trajectory of cancer mortality and bring stakeholders together to adopt innovative, safe, and effective technologies that can transform cancer care.
We are a healthcare company, pioneering new technologies to advance early cancer detection. We have built a multi-disciplinary organization of scientists, engineers, and physicians and we are using the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS), population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to overcome one of medicine’s greatest challenges.
GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies.
For more information, please visit grail.com.
The Senior Scientist, Technical Operations is responsible for supporting sustaining operations and introducing new assays and diagnostic products into GRAIL’s high‑throughput, regulated laboratory environment. This individual contributor partners closely with MSAT, Assay Development, Engineering Operations, and the Clinical Lab to lead process integration, improvement, monitoring, and troubleshooting. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise across the end‑to‑end laboratory workflow—from pre‑analytical through post‑analytical—strong process optimization experience, and a thorough understanding of clinical laboratory regulatory frameworks.
Responsibilities:
- Lead or assist in process troubleshooting activities, including root-cause analysis and impact assessments, resolving technical challenges.
- Monitor process performance, analyze data and metrics, and contribute to process monitoring and improvement strategies to sustain high-quality, efficient operations.
- Support the transfer and implementation of new assays and diagnostic products from development into production, ensuring robust performance across all workflow phases.
- Develop, optimize, and document validation protocols and procedures in compliance with CLIA, CAP, NYS, ISO 13485, FDA, and other applicable standards.
- Provide scientific and technical support to MSAT, Engineering Operations, and Clinical Lab teams.
- Evaluate, qualify, and implement alternative reagents and vendors to maintain continuity and strengthen lab operations.
- Identify process gaps and contribute to or lead process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, reliability, and quality.
- Prepare comprehensive technical documentation, scientific reports, and regulatory submission materials as required.
- Maintain high standards of scientific rigor, quality, and regulatory compliance in all process integration activities.
- Lead complex investigations and root-cause analyses; implement effective CAPAs and preventive measures with clear verification of effectiveness
- Support lab readiness: training, tech transfer materials, troubleshooting guides, and operational playbooks for Clinical Lab teams
- Analyze complex datasets and present insights to technical and non-technical stakeholders to guide decisions
- Contribute to inspection/audit readiness and support interactions with CAP/CLIA, state agencies (e.g., NYS), and other regulatory bodies as needed
Preferred Qualifications:
- PhD in Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or a related field.
- Proven experience in technology transfer of assays and launching new products in a regulated diagnostic laboratory.
- Direct, hands-on experience with end-to-end clinical workflows (pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical).
- Strong knowledge of high-throughput laboratory automation and advanced instrumentation.
- Deep understanding of clinical laboratory regulatory standards, including CLIA, CAP, NYS, ISO 13485, and FDA.
- Experience with or understanding of reagent manufacturing and alternative vendor qualification processes.
- Experience participating in audits (internal, regulatory, or client-driven).
- Excellent skills in technical documentation and scientific writing.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across MSAT, Engineering Operations, and Clinical Lab teams.
- Six Sigma certification or significant experience with Lean, Kaizen, or other process improvement methodologies.
- Hands-on experience with data analytics tools and platforms (e.g., JMP, Minitab, R, Python, Tableau) for process monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
- Experience with laboratory information management systems (LIMS) or MES.
- Advanced data analysis skills applied to laboratory operations and quality improvement.
- Experience supporting laboratory scale-up, automation, or operational excellence projects.
Expected full time annual base pay scale for this position is $119K - $142K. Actual base pay will consider skills, experience and location.
Based on the role, colleagues may be eligible to participate in an annual bonus plan tied to company and individual performance, or an incentive plan. We also offer a long-term incentive plan to align company and colleague success over time.
In addition, GRAIL offers a competitive benefit package, including flexible time-off, a 401(k) with a company % match, medical, dental, and vision insurance plans, and carefully selected mindfulness offerings, in accordance with our applicable plans and policies. Learn more about our benefits here: px.sequoia.com/grail
GRAIL is an equal employment opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a workplace where every individual can thrive, contribute, and grow. It is GRAIL policy to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, protected veteran status, disability status, medical condition, or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.
This policy applies to all phases of employment, including, but not limited to: recruiting, hiring, training, promotion, and termination at all levels of employment. GRAIL maintains a drug-free workplace.
Additionally, GRAIL will consider all qualified job-seekers with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law and provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us at [email protected] if you require an accommodation to apply for an open position.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the 'Know Your Rights' poster.
We welcome job-seekers from all backgrounds to join us!
Top Skills
Jmp
Laboratory Information Management Systems
Mes
Minitab
Next-Generation Sequencing
Python
R
Tableau
What the Team is Saying
Neda Ronaghi
Strategy and Operational Excellence Associate Director
Ruth Mauntz
Staff Bioinformatics Scientist
Tristan Matthews
Senior Director, Software Engineering
David Jenions
Principal Automation Engineer
Satnam Alag
SVP, Software Engineering
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
The Company
What We Do
GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is using the power of high-intensity sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to enhance the scientific understanding of cancer biology, and to develop and commercialize pioneering products.
Why Work With Us
Everything we do is guided by our mission to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. It’s the reason we’re here, and it’s no small task.
The right people make all the difference. That’s why we’re looking for those who strive to share their knowledge, contribute their skills, inspire each other and commit to something bigger than themselves.
Gallery
GRAIL Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
GRAIL has a variety of work types depending on the roles. Some are onsite like a lab role, others are hybrid and still others are remote. Hybrid is typically Tuesday and Thursday but leaders may be flexible depending on the role.
Typical time on-site:
2 days a week
.png)
