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Research Associate

Role description
We invite you to join our R&D team as a Research Associate and accelerate our goal to discover microbial Ensembles. You will help us build a microbial biobank from human skin samples, characterize the microbes in this biobank, assist with high-throughput screening experiments using Concerto’s novel technology (“kChip”: to learn more, see the links to recent publications provided below), and design and perform molecular biology and microbiology experiments to characterize microbial Ensembles discovered during screening. You’ll need to be meticulous with your lab work and documentation, highly communicative, and able to work closely with a team of 2-3 other scientists. 

While lab experience is required, we don’t expect you to have experience performing all of the responsibilities listed below. Indeed, just as you help Concerto grow, we hope to contribute to your intellectual and professional growth. You’ll have the opportunity to gain new skills by working with our world-class team, and you’ll also have the opportunity to advance within the company by taking on higher responsibility roles. 

Characteristic responsibilities
  • Contribute to building a microbial biobank derived from human skin
  • Prepare and organize reagents (e.g. culture media) and materials (e.g. sterilized swabs) for isolating and culturing microbes from human samples (e.g. skin swabs)
  • Perform microbial isolation experiments from human samples
  • Characterize microbes in the biobank using microbiology techniques such as outgrowth in microtiter plates, fluorescence-based assays, and sequencing
  • Contribute to optimization and documentation of biobanking protocols
  • Assist with high-throughput screening experiments using kChip
  • Prepare kChips and reagents for coculture screening experiments
  • Conduct screening experiments
  • Characterize microbial cocultures, such as hit Ensembles from the kChip screens
  • Perform basic molecular biology techniques such as plasmid construction, PCR, qPCR, and RNA and DNA extraction
  • Contribute to individual and team success
  • Work with team members to design and execute experiments
  • Troubleshoot to resolve technical problems
  • Consult colleagues and the scientific literature, as needed, to develop professional expertise and support ongoing and future projects
  • Maintain meticulous records: document, compile, and analyze experimental procedures and data
  • Order and maintain stocks of reagents and supplies
  • Ship packages and communicate with collaborators
  • Frequently give and receive feedback to and from the team
  • The Research Associate will report directly to the Head of Research at Concerto and have access to the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) and CEO. 

Relevant experience and qualifications
  • A Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or other related field with a minimum of 2 years of experience in a research lab (can be concurrent with degree)
  • Extensive experience with basic biology lab techniques (e.g. pipetting/liquid handling, safely handling chemicals/reagents, waste management)
  • Experience with microbiology (e.g. growth assays) and/or molecular biology techniques (e.g. PCR, cloning)
  • Demonstrated ability to work excellently in teams, as well as independently 
  • Demonstrated ability to rigorously problem solve, including forming hypotheses, testing them, troubleshooting, thinking creatively, and communicating about this process
  • Demonstrated ability to closely follow standardized methods and protocols
  • Outstanding oral and written communication, data documentation, and organizational skills
  • Energized by a rapidly changing environment and excited to adapt research plans accordingly
  • Passion for science, desire to positively impact human health, and eagerness to learn

Relevant scientific literature

Applications: Please send your resume and cover letter to careers@concertobio.com.