Twist Bioscience · 1 month ago
Scientist / Sr Scientist / Staff Scientist (DNA Synthesis Chemistry) in South San Francisco, CA
USA - South San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$127K/yr - $190K/yr
0+ years expTwist Bioscience is a company focused on synthesizing genes and advancing DNA synthesis technology. They are seeking a Scientist/Sr Scientist/Staff Scientist to optimize their silicon-based DNA synthesis platform through interdisciplinary research in nucleic acid chemistry, surface science, and data analysis.
B2BBiotechnologyChemicalHealth CareLife Science
Responsibilities
Lead research projects to optimize the DNA synthesis cycle (coupling, oxidation, deblocking) on our proprietary silicon platform
Design and execute experiments using modified nucleic acid chemistries to solve stability and fidelity challenges (e.g., mitigating depurination or improving coupling efficiency)
Investigate surface chemistry parameters and their impact on synthesis quality; bridge the gap between material science and organic chemistry
Code your own analysis: Use Python or R to ingest NGS datasets, visualize error profiles, and determine if chemical changes improved the sequence
Collaborate with biologists to validate your chemical improvements using gene assembly and library prep workflows
Document and communicate results clearly and succinctly
Qualification
Required
Experience in Chemistry, Chemical Biology or combination of closely-related field and experience
Scientist Requires a PhD and 0-2 years of previous professional experience; or a master's degree and 3-5 years of work experience
Sr Scientist Requires a Ph.D. and 2-5 years of professional experience (postdoc may count); or a master's degree and 5-7 years of work experience
Staff Scientist Requires a Ph.D. and 5-8 years of professional experience (postdoc may count); or a master's degree and 7 years of work experience
Mastery of DNA Synthesis: Deep understanding of phosphoramidite chemistry and solid-phase synthesis cycles
Modified Chemistry Expertise: Familiarity with non-standard chemistries, including stability modifications, backbone alterations, and linkers for downstream functionalization
Enzymatic Versatility: Comprehensive knowledge of the full nucleic acid toolkit (ligases, exonucleases, kinases, polymerases) and how to apply them to manipulate DNA structure for any application
NGS Workflow Knowledge: Understanding of library preparation and next-generation sequencing fundamentals to ensure synthesis products are compatible with downstream analysis
Coded Data Analysis: Proven ability to use Python, R, or JMP to analyze and visualize large datasets (NGS data preferred)
Preferred
Experience with surface functionalization or DNA-surface interactions is a major plus
Benefits
Bonus
Equity
A generous benefits package
Company
Twist Bioscience
Twist Bioscience is a biotechnology company that offers synthetic DNA solutions, gene synthesis, and variant libraries.
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Twist Bioscience has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (18)
2024 (14)
2023 (22)
2022 (19)
2021 (4)
2020 (6)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$553.11MKey Investors
Capital World InvestorsBiomatics Capital PartnersIllumina
2022-02-09Post Ipo Equity· $250M
2020-01-27Post Ipo Equity· $50M
2018-10-30IPO
Leadership Team
Emily Leproust
CEO
Siyuan Chen
Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
Genetic Engineering News
2026-01-17
2026-01-16
Company data provided by crunchbase