Systems Integration Scientist

At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

The System Integration team at Element Biosciences is centered at the interface of product development, evaluation, and optimization. We are seeking an experienced Systems Integration Scientist who will play a pivotal role in testing and validating system-level performance of wet-lab assays on Element sequencers to ensure commercial readiness. This is an incredible opportunity for someone who is passionate about translating complex biochemical workflows into robust commercial products. We are looking for candidates with a solid background in assay development, design of experiments (DOE), and statistical quality control. Experience with troubleshooting assay performance and verification and validation (V&V) of complex biological workflows is a must.

This role will report to the VP, Systems Integration and will be a San Diego based role.

If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Integrate and test new chemistries and enzymatic methods to improve assay performance, robustness, and reproducibility on the platform
• Serve as the primary technical interface between the Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Hardware teams to ensure workflow compatibility with Element’s sequencing platforms
• Design and execute comprehensive test plans to verify that assay performance meets product requirements and system-level specifications
• Perform verification and validation (V&V) testing of new chemistries and enzymatic workflows on the platform
• Create custom test samples and biological controls to rigorously "stress test" system performance and identify failure modes
• Analyze complex experimental data to determine pass/fail results and provide detailed feedback on system robustness
• Track all changes to assay configurations and perform regression testing to validate the implementation of improvements
• Write protocols, test procedures, and maintain accurate records for Design History Files (DHF) and product transfer

Education and Experience:

• PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, or related field with 2+ years industry experience; or BS/MS with 6+ years of relevant industry experience
• Extensive experience in product testing, specifically with NGS assays and in situ fluorescence techniques
• Demonstrated proficiency in experimental design and data analysis, capable of performing complex multi-step experiments with detailed attention to protocol
• Experience with Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis (JMP, Python, R) to validate system performance
• Strong troubleshooting skills to optimize molecular biology assays and reagent formulations
• Familiarity with design controls, verification/validation (V&V), and quality management systems is highly desirable
• Experience handling cultured cells and biological specimens is highly desirable

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift to 20 pounds
• The position requires physical activity associated with molecular biology routines and the handling of chemicals
• Candidates are required to follow the safety protocols and be familiar with personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in the laboratory environment

Location:

• San Diego – on-site

Travel: 

• Up to 5% - or as opportunity arises

Job Type:

• Full-time, Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

• $110,000 - $145,000

In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off. 

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience. 

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.