Senior Research Associate, Neural Cell Production (Fixed-Term Contract)

About Arc Institute

Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.

Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone.

Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action:

• Virtual Cell Initiative: Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets,  accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials.
• Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes.

More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding.

Why this position could be the best job you’ve ever had 

• Join Arc's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative as the production engine behind a first-of-its-kind 3D brain-model screening program, where the cells you make drive disease-target discovery.

About the position

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate, Neural Cell Production to join the Cellular Models Technology Center for a fixed term of 18 months to produce the stem cell-derived cell types that feed our ADI screening program (neural progenitor cells, neurons, astrocytes, and microglia) reliably and consistently to a high standard. This is a hands-on stem cell production role that requires the consistency, rigor, and reproducibility of a production setting. Beyond differentiation, you will QC each lot using our established pipeline (flow cytometry, proliferation, imaging, and/or functional assays), bank the QC'd cells, and keep complete registration and documentation in Benchling. Cell supply is the upstream foundation of every ADI screen: the reliability, quality, and timeliness of the cells you produce directly determine whether each screen can run and whether its data is interpretable. You will work in close collaboration with the scientists and research associates leading each production workflow to deliver the cells our high-cadence screening calendar depends on. This is a temporary contractor position based onsite 5 days a week in Palo Alto. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

About you

• You are a reliable, detail-driven cell production specialist who delivers consistent, high-quality cells on a schedule. 
• You bring strong process discipline and a track record of reproducible production, ideally from an industry or other high-consistency cell production setting.
• You are accustomed to working across several distinct protocols concurrently: each cell type here has its own workflow, media composition, timeline, and specific requirements, and you are able to learn them thoroughly and transition between them accurately.
• You value reproducibility, document your work rigorously, and proactively identify and address sources of variability.
• You collaborate effectively, integrate quickly with the team, and establish yourself as a dependable partner.

In this position you will

• Produce stem cell-derived cell types for ADI such as neural progenitor cells (NPCs), neurons, astrocytes, and microglia, reliably and consistently, following established differentiation protocols.
• Master the distinct workflow, media composition, and protocol-specific requirements of each cell type, and transition between them dependably according to upcoming screening needs.
• Collaborate closely with the team members leading each production workflow to deliver the cell production required to support the screens.
• QC each lot using the established pipeline: flow cytometry, proliferation, imaging, and/or functional assays.
• Create banks of QC'd cells and manage their proper registration and documentation in Benchling.
• Maintain iPSC and progenitor cultures (feeding, passaging, expansion, cryopreservation, thawing) and coordinate production timing against the screening calendar.
• Follow and help maintain established protocols and SOPs, flagging issues to the workflow leads.

Requirements

• BS degree in relevant field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or MS degree in relevant field with 2+ years of relevant postgraduate experience
• Substantial experience culturing and maintaining human PSCs and differentiating them into defined cell types (NPCs, neurons, astrocytes, microglia, or similar), with reliable, reproducible results.
• Demonstrated ability to execute multiple cell culture protocols with precision and to transition between them accurately, maintaining fidelity to each protocol's specific requirements (workflow, media, and timeline).
• Experience QCing cells using cellular and/or molecular assays such as flow cytometry, DNA proliferation, or MEAs (experience with one or more of these; not all required).  
• Excellent aseptic technique and consistent cell-culture practice held to a high, production-type standard.
• Experience with cryopreservation, thawing, expansion, and cell banking.
• Meticulous documentation and record-keeping; comfort working to a production schedule, and basic data tracking and analysis.
• Work onsite in our Palo Alto office 5 days per week. Occasional weekend work may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in an industry iPSC production setting (e.g., cell-products manufacturer, CDMO, or organoid/drug-discovery production group).
• Experience producing 3D brain organoids.
• Familiarity with Benchling or comparable ELN systems.

The base salary range for this position is $84,250 to $114,250. These amounts reflect the range of base salary that the Institute reasonably would expect to pay a new hire or internal candidate for this position. The actual base compensation paid to any individual for this position may vary depending on factors such as experience, market conditions, education/training, skill level, and whether the compensation is internally equitable, and does not include bonuses, commissions, differential pay, other forms of compensation, or benefits.