Allman Institute
Principal Scientist, Cell Modeling
Redwood City, CA · Principal
Sponsorship not specified$40k-$50kDetected 71 days ago
BioinformaticsqPCRCRISPRMolecular BiologyCell CultureResearchExperimental DesignLeadershipCommunicationCollaboration
About the role
- This role is intended for someone who has a strong background in the development of high-fidelity cell-based models that capture the complex context of epithelial biology.
Responsibilities
- Anticipate downstream needs by working closely with program leads to align model selection with the specific therapeutic questions each program must answer.
- Develop and execute directed differentiation protocols into lung lineages and other cell types relevant to active programs, including transcription factor-based and small molecule-driven approaches.
- Design and execute CRISPR-based editing strategies to produce isogenic, disease-relevant, and reporter cell lines, including end-to-end ownership from design through clonal isolation and validation.
- Lead CRISPR screening efforts where program requirements call for functional genomics readouts, including arrayed and pooled formats.
- Implement industry best practices to characterize differentiated cells and engineered lines using qPCR, immunofluorescence, RNA-seq, and other molecular and cellular assays appropriate to the model.
- Maintain rigorous quality control across iPSC culture, including karyotype, identity, and pluripotency monitoring, and define what fit-for-purpose validation means for each model class.
- Document protocols, results, and deviations in a manner that supports reproducibility, cross-program transfer, and audit-ready records.
- Collaborate with team members and external collaborators to troubleshoot differentiation methods when results fall outside expected ranges.
- Partner with scientists across gene therapy, drug repurposing, transplant, and regenerative medicine programs to deliver fit-for-purpose cell models on program-relevant timelines.
- Coordinate with computational and AI colleagues to align experimental design with downstream analytical needs, including sample structure for sequencing-based readouts.
Requirements
- Minimum of ten years of post-PhD experience in industry or a translational research setting, with substantial time spent on iPSC-based disease modeling and engineered cell line generation.
- Deep hands-on expertise in iPSC or other stem cell culture, including antibiotic-free maintenance and extended differentiation protocols into multiple lineages.
- Experience leading CRISPR screening campaigns, including arrayed or pooled formats and the functional genomics readouts that follow.
- Direct experience with lung-lineage differentiation, including airway and alveolar epithelial protocols.
- Familiarity with RNA-seq and single-cell approaches, including sample preparation and interpretation of results.
- Experience with liquid handling platforms and laboratory automation in a cell biology context.
- Experience contributing to IND-enabling or regulatory-facing studies, even indirectly through model provision.
- Define the cell modeling strategy across active programs, including which iPSC lines, differentiation protocols, and engineered systems are required to support gene therapy, fibrosis, transplant, and regeneration work.
- Establish and implement protocols to generate and maintain iPSC cultures under antibiotic-free conditions, including the long differentiation timelines required for mature lung epithelial phenotypes.
- Required
- PhD in cell biology, stem cell biology, molecular biology, or a closely related discipline.
- Demonstrated experience building three-dimensional and organoid models, particularly of lung or related epithelial tissues.
- End-to-end experience generating CRISPR-edited cell lines, including design, delivery across multiple methods, clonal isolation, and validation.
- Strong scientific communication skills and the judgment to set technical standards that others can follow.
- Preferred
- Prior work in fibrosis, pulmonary biology, or transplant-focused disease modeling R&D setting.
Compensation
- $40k-$50k
Company info
- The Institute is established as a nonprofit, backed by substantial long-term capital committed directly to the mission.
Apply directly at Allman Institute →Create a free account for alerts like thisView Allman Institute immigration profile
This listing is sourced directly from Allman Institute's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.