Research Scientist, Assay Development

Job Description

Job Description

About GrapheneDx: GrapheneDx is a new diagnostics technology company with a mission to transform consumer diagnostics. Our employees gain experience in a multidisciplinary, fast-paced start-up and have ample opportunities to acquire new skills, engage with emerging technologies, and collaborate closely with an accomplished team, all within in a supportive and energetic environment.

GrapheneDx offers a competitive compensation package including base salary, performance bonuses, paid time off, health and dental benefits, and excellent growth opportunities.

GrapheneDx is seeking a Research Scientist who will apply their expertise to advance our R&D efforts in biosensor development and communicate valuable insights to a highly collaborative and dynamic team.

Summary: The Research Scientist in Assay Development will design and execute experiments to functionalize sensors with nucleic acid or antibody probes for biomarker detection, contributing to the development of a groundbreaking, point-of-care diagnostic platform. Collaborating closely with a senior scientist and a cross-functional team of materials scientists, electronics engineers, and data scientists, this role drives forward a disruptive diagnostic technology poised to redefine the field.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Drive the development of a novel GFET-based point-of-care diagnostic platform.
• Design, execute, and optimize experiments for biomarker detection, including feasibility, pilot, and process optimization studies.
• Perform data analysis, critically interpret results, and prepare reports and presentations tailored to the needs and expertise of internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team of scientists and engineers to design experiments aligned with R&D objectives, ensuring sensor technology integration into scalable diagnostic solutions.
• Document, refine, and optimize protocols, creating actionable plans to improve processes and advance R&D milestones
• Identify and troubleshoot technical challenges, contributing to regulatory documentation, and ensure protocol compliance where relevant.

Essential Experience:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Electrochemistry, Biophysics, or a related discipline, or a Master’s degree with 1-5 years of relevant academic or industry experience.
• Proven experience in creating and developing biosensor immunoassays and/or nucleic acid detection assays through probe hybridization.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify challenges and propose alternative approaches.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills, including the ability to summarize and translate data into actionable plans.
• Effective oral and written communication skills to convey technical information to both supervisors and team members.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience with non-optical-, electrical-, or electrochemical-based sensors, especially graphene-based or carbon nanotube-based sensing platforms.
• Experience functionalizing GFETs with biological probes, such as nucleic acids or antibodies, to enable biomarker detection.
• Experience defining and improving biosensor performance metrics, such as sensitivity, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and other industry-standard used to quantify biosensor efficacy and reliability.
• Proficiency in coding or data visualization using Python, Origin, and/or Minitab for data analysis and visualization.
• Working knowledge of statistical analysis and design of experiments.
• Ability to coordinate effectively across multiple functional areas.
• Highly motivated and adaptable, with the flexibility to thrive in a dynamic and interdependent environment.