Planet Pharma · 2 hours ago
Senior Research Associate, Cell Culture Team, Integrated Research
Redwood City, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
3+ years expPlanet Pharma is seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate to join their Cell Culture Team and support early discovery programs. This hands-on laboratory role focuses on generating high-quality cellular materials to enable critical go/no-go decisions.
BiotechnologyHealth CarePharmaceutical
Responsibilities
Perform routine mammalian cell culture, including expansion, maintenance, cryopreservation, and thawing of multiple cell lines
Maintain accurate cell line inventory and experimental documentation using Benchling
Respond to urgent, time-sensitive requests from discovery teams to support key program milestones
Develop protocols and document experimental workflows and observations with high rigor
Partner closely with cross-functional teams to assess cell line needs and deliver materials on defined timelines
Contribute to a culture of transparent, proactive communication across teams
Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, robustness, and scalability of cell culture workflows
Qualification
Required
B.S./M.S. degree in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Cancer Biology, or related life science field with 3+ years of hands-on mammalian cell culture experience; biopharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience preferred
Demonstrated expertise in aseptic technique and mammalian cell culture, including: Concurrent handling of multiple cell lines, Media preparation with complex supplements, DMSO dilution calculations and cryopreservation best practices
Strong experience optimizing and troubleshooting mammalian cell culture systems
Familiarity with cell culture quality control practices (e.g., mycoplasma testing, cell line authentication)
Proficiency with electronic lab notebooks (e.g., Benchling) for experiment documentation, inventory management, and workflow execution
Excellent organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and data integrity
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams
Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and remain composed in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
Familiarity with standard laboratory equipment (microscopes, pipettes, centrifuges, cell counters)
A positive, flexible, and collaborative mindset with a continuous improvement mentality
Preferred
Experience working with cancer cell lines, primary cells, or genetically engineered cell lines
Experience with viral and non-viral transduction or transfection methods (e.g., lentivirus, retrovirus, lipid-based systems)
Hands-on experience with 2D and 3D cell culture systems, including spheroids and/or organoid models
Exposure to cell-based assay development and downstream applications (e.g., viability, proliferation, reporter assays)
Experience supporting early discovery or translational research programs
Experience in regulated or semi-regulated laboratory environments with strong documentation standards
Exposure to automation, high-throughput cell culture, or scale-up workflows
Company
Planet Pharma
Planet Pharma is a pharmaceuticals company.
1001-5000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Planet Pharma 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
2022 (3)
2021 (5)
2020 (5)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Cynthia Lewis
Senior Executive Recruiter, Life Sciences - PPG Advisory Partners
Emma Morris
President, PPG Advisory Partners
Company data provided by crunchbase