Research Associate

Research Associate VitaKey is an exciting start-up company using proprietary technology that enables new functionalities in everyday foods and beverages for better human health. We are seeking innovative and motivated scientists and engineers to be part of the company at our Durham, NC location. Learn more about our company on our website at www.VitaKey.com  Role SummaryResponsibilities will involve independent maintenance of multiple cell-culture models including adherent, suspension, and organoid cell culture models. Responsibilities will also include optimization of media components for different cell models. generation of cell-stocks, and characterization of cell models. Some responsibilities will include genetic and protein analysis of cell-culture models such as flow cytometry, microscopy, and qRT-PCR. You will serve as a group contributor on project teams, under guidance of scientists and/or senior scientists. Projects will be highly interdisciplinary, at the intersection of engineering, biochemistry, materials science, food science, and nutrition. Duties and Responsibilities-         Establish and maintain multiple cell-culture models independently.-         Maintain an organized cell bank for cell stocks -         Biological analysis techniques including ELISA, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and confocal imaging-         Manage project database structure-         Clear and effective communication via informal meetings, lab meetings, and reports -         Practice excellent documentation including maintenance of lab notebooks and organization of data Required Qualifications/Experience·         Candidate must have BA or BS with 0-2 years of experience in biochemistry, chemical biology, chemistry, biology, or related fields·         2-4 years’ experience in undergraduate research lab settings (either academic or in industry) in biomedical fields. Candidates with 2-4 consecutive years of undergraduate research experience in the same research lab are preferred·         Experience in maintaining cell culture models, organoid culture preferred·         Experience in developing and/or optimizing cell-based analytical assays such as ELISA, fluorescence or luminescence based assays·         Experience using statistics and programming outside of coursework such as MATLAB, R, Python, or Tableau·         Experience working with proteins, mammalian cell culture, polymers, microparticles, and/or microfluidics·         Experience generating and interpreting experimental data ·         Entrepreneurial and self-motivated work style ·         Excellent cross-disciplinary skills in communicating ideas to both scientists and non-scientists·         Startup experience is highly valued, but not required. ·         Ability to adjust rapidly to changing scientific priorities and technologies