Scientist I - R&D
GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by developing pioneering technology to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types early. The company is using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to enhance the scientific understanding of cancer biology, and to develop its multi-cancer early detection blood test. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. It is supported by leading global investors and pharmaceutical, technology, and healthcare companies. For more information, please visit www.grail.com.
GRAIL is seeking a Scientist I for the R&D technology development team to lead the development and optimization of assays for early cancer detection. You will be responsible for leading wet-lab research and development studies for GRAIL’s product portfolio. You will be expected to provide technical leadership in the development of improved methods, analysis, and pipelines applied to next-generation sequencing data. The ideal candidate is a team player with excellent communication skills and significant experience in NGS assay development and genomic data analysis.
You Will:
- Plan and lead execution of internal assay development/validation activities as well as collaborative research with GRAIL’s academic and industry partners.
- Prototype, optimize, and implement new laboratory techniques and analysis methods for NGS-based molecular assays.
- Collaborate with automation engineers to optimize assay workflows and processes on semi/fully automated robotic platforms.
- Apply your knowledge of cancer biology and advanced analytical methods to generate new biological insights that advance projects.
- Summarize, present and document study outcomes to key stakeholders.
- Collaborate with different functions including bioinformatics, data science, biostatistics, clinical development, quality, and clinical operations.
- Generate new ideas that contribute to GRAIL’s IP portfolio.
Your Background Should Include:
- PhD degree in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Cancer Genomics or relevant disciplines with 0-3 years of postdoctoral or industry experience.
- Hands-on experience with and in-depth knowledge of Illumina NGS workflows including DNA/RNA extraction, library preparation, sequencing, and data analysis.
- Proven track record of developing and optimizing NGS assay protocols.
- Knowledge of theoretical and applied statistics.
- Fluency in R or Python a plus.
- Experience with statistical programming software (e.g., JMP) and Design of Experiment (DOE) a plus.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to collaborate cross-functionally in a fast paced and dynamic environment.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.