{"schemaVersion":"jobsearcher.job.v1","id":"50895fd2df51f646dd947e5c","url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/50895fd2df51f646dd947e5c","canonicalUrl":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/50895fd2df51f646dd947e5c","title":"Research Associate - Vector Core","description":"Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency and experience. We're pursuing this goal by developing fundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.\r\nAbout the team\r\nThe Delivery team develops the viral and non-viral delivery technologies that enable Merge's next-generation neurotechnology platform. By partnering closely with bioengineering, neuroscience, and in vivo teams, we create delivery systems that support rapid preclinical testing while advancing the platform toward safe and effective human translation.\r\nWe are establishing an in-house AAV vector core to deliver reliable, high-quality vector production for program teams. The core focuses on consistent execution, careful documentation, and continuous improvement so teams can move quickly while maintaining strong experimental reproducibility.\r\nAbout the role\r\nWe are seeking a Research Associate to help establish, operate, and improve our AAV vector core. This is a hands-on production role that requires strong mammalian tissue culture skills, attention to detail, and a service-oriented mindset. In this role, you will produce small lots of AAV for pre-clinical testing, perform QC assays, maintain complete lot records, and coordinate with scientists across internal programs. Success means that teams receive consistent, high-quality vectors on predictable timelines, production and QC data are accurate and traceable, SOPs are followed and improved, and routine workflows become easier to run reliably over time. This role is well suited for someone who takes pride in repeatable execution and process improvement.\r\nIn this role, you will\r\nRun weekly AAV production workflows from mammalian cell culture and transfection through harvest, purification, concentration, aliquoting, and sample handoff.\r\nPerform QC assays to assess vector titer, purity, genome integrity, and lot-to-lot consistency.\r\nPrepare plasmid DNA and support molecular biology workflows for AAV constructs and production plasmids.\r\nTranslate vector production requests into organized production runs, timelines, and handoffs.\r\nMaintain accurate lot records, sample metadata, QC results, deviations, and process data in an ELN.\r\nMaintain organized inventories of plasmids, cells, vector lots, and reagents.\r\nFollow SOPs for vector production and update them as workflows improve.\r\nRecognize, document, and communicate deviations from expected production or QC outcomes.\r\nTroubleshoot production issues and contribute to practical process improvements.\r\nAs team needs evolve, support related viral or non-viral delivery workflows.\r\nYou might thrive in this role if you have\r\nA BS, BA, or MS in a scientific, engineering, or related field.\r\nHands-on experience with mammalian tissue culture and aseptic technique.\r\nExperience with AAV, lentivirus, biologics production, or another biological workflow where reproducibility and sample tracking are critical.\r\nPractical molecular biology experience, such as plasmid preparation, cloning, PCR, and sequence verification.\r\nExperience running analytical or QC assays. Relevant examples include qPCR, SDS-PAGE, sequencing-based QC, ddPCR, or related methods.\r\nStrong documentation habits and experience maintaining accurate sample, lot, and process records in an ELN, LIMS, or another structured sample-tracking system.\r\nExperience following SOPs, recognizing deviations, and communicating issues early.\r\nAn organized approach to managing multiple samples, assays, requests, and timelines.\r\nA collaborative, service-oriented mindset and motivation to make repeated workflows more reliable and efficient over time.\r\nHands-on experience developing or engaging with automation workflows.\r\nMotivation to contribute in a fast-paced environment tackling frontier scientific and technical challenges.\r\nIf you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, please apply. As we build, we're hiring for complementary strengths to form a high-impact team.\r\nFor more information about hiring at Merge, please visit our Hiring FAQ.\r\nMerge Labs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family status, ancestry, citizenship, U.S. military (state and federal) and veteran status, or any other legally protected status. It is our intention that all applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job related factors. We are an equal opportunity employer.\r\nPursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.\r\nWe are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made by emailing accommodations@merge.io.\r\nJ-18808-Ljbffr","company":"Slope","rawCompany":"slope","city":"Millbrae","state":"CA","isRemote":false,"isActive":false,"createdAt":"2026-06-26T03:19:02.005Z","occupations":[{"code":"19-4021.00","title":"Biological Technicians","slug":"biological-technicians"},{"code":"19-1029.02","title":"Molecular and Cellular Biologists","slug":"molecular-and-cellular-biologists"},{"code":"19-4099.00","title":"Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other","slug":"life-physical-and-social-science-technicians-all-other"}],"industries":[{"code":"541714","title":"Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology)","slug":"research-and-development-in-biotechnology-except-nanobiotechnology"},{"code":"541715","title":"Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology)","slug":"research-and-development-in-the-physical-engineering-and-life-sciences-except-nanotechnology-and-biotechnology"},{"code":"325414","title":"Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing","slug":"biological-product-except-diagnostic-manufacturing"}],"jobPosting":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"JobPosting","title":"Research Associate - Vector Core","description":"Merge Labs is a frontier research lab with the mission of bridging biological and artificial intelligence to maximize human ability, agency and experience. We're pursuing this goal by developing fundamentally new approaches to brain-computer interfaces that interact with the brain at high bandwidth, integrate with advanced AI, and are ultimately safe and accessible for anyone to use.\r\nAbout the team\r\nThe Delivery team develops the viral and non-viral delivery technologies that enable Merge's next-generation neurotechnology platform. By partnering closely with bioengineering, neuroscience, and in vivo teams, we create delivery systems that support rapid preclinical testing while advancing the platform toward safe and effective human translation.\r\nWe are establishing an in-house AAV vector core to deliver reliable, high-quality vector production for program teams. The core focuses on consistent execution, careful documentation, and continuous improvement so teams can move quickly while maintaining strong experimental reproducibility.\r\nAbout the role\r\nWe are seeking a Research Associate to help establish, operate, and improve our AAV vector core. This is a hands-on production role that requires strong mammalian tissue culture skills, attention to detail, and a service-oriented mindset. In this role, you will produce small lots of AAV for pre-clinical testing, perform QC assays, maintain complete lot records, and coordinate with scientists across internal programs. Success means that teams receive consistent, high-quality vectors on predictable timelines, production and QC data are accurate and traceable, SOPs are followed and improved, and routine workflows become easier to run reliably over time. This role is well suited for someone who takes pride in repeatable execution and process improvement.\r\nIn this role, you will\r\nRun weekly AAV production workflows from mammalian cell culture and transfection through harvest, purification, concentration, aliquoting, and sample handoff.\r\nPerform QC assays to assess vector titer, purity, genome integrity, and lot-to-lot consistency.\r\nPrepare plasmid DNA and support molecular biology workflows for AAV constructs and production plasmids.\r\nTranslate vector production requests into organized production runs, timelines, and handoffs.\r\nMaintain accurate lot records, sample metadata, QC results, deviations, and process data in an ELN.\r\nMaintain organized inventories of plasmids, cells, vector lots, and reagents.\r\nFollow SOPs for vector production and update them as workflows improve.\r\nRecognize, document, and communicate deviations from expected production or QC outcomes.\r\nTroubleshoot production issues and contribute to practical process improvements.\r\nAs team needs evolve, support related viral or non-viral delivery workflows.\r\nYou might thrive in this role if you have\r\nA BS, BA, or MS in a scientific, engineering, or related field.\r\nHands-on experience with mammalian tissue culture and aseptic technique.\r\nExperience with AAV, lentivirus, biologics production, or another biological workflow where reproducibility and sample tracking are critical.\r\nPractical molecular biology experience, such as plasmid preparation, cloning, PCR, and sequence verification.\r\nExperience running analytical or QC assays. Relevant examples include qPCR, SDS-PAGE, sequencing-based QC, ddPCR, or related methods.\r\nStrong documentation habits and experience maintaining accurate sample, lot, and process records in an ELN, LIMS, or another structured sample-tracking system.\r\nExperience following SOPs, recognizing deviations, and communicating issues early.\r\nAn organized approach to managing multiple samples, assays, requests, and timelines.\r\nA collaborative, service-oriented mindset and motivation to make repeated workflows more reliable and efficient over time.\r\nHands-on experience developing or engaging with automation workflows.\r\nMotivation to contribute in a fast-paced environment tackling frontier scientific and technical challenges.\r\nIf you're excited about this role but don't meet every qualification, please apply. As we build, we're hiring for complementary strengths to form a high-impact team.\r\nFor more information about hiring at Merge, please visit our Hiring FAQ.\r\nMerge Labs does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, family status, ancestry, citizenship, U.S. military (state and federal) and veteran status, or any other legally protected status. It is our intention that all applicants be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on job related factors. We are an equal opportunity employer.\r\nPursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.\r\nWe are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made by emailing accommodations@merge.io.\r\nJ-18808-Ljbffr","datePosted":"2026-06-26T03:19:02.005Z","dateModified":"2026-06-26T03:19:02.005Z","hiringOrganization":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Slope","sameAs":"https://jobsearcher.com"},"jobLocation":{"@type":"Place","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","addressLocality":"Millbrae","addressRegion":"CA","addressCountry":"US"}},"identifier":{"@type":"PropertyValue","name":"JobSearcher","value":"50895fd2df51f646dd947e5c"},"url":"https://jobsearcher.com/jobs/50895fd2df51f646dd947e5c"}}