Senior Immunologist / Immune Engineer

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 1,800 employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Draper is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We understand the value of diversity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.

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The Bioengineering Division is seeking a motivated Senior Research Scientist to join a team developing cutting-edge biotechnological solutions for our Cell & Tissue Engineering R&D program area, working in a new and expanded 13,000 square foot BSL2 laboratory in our Kendall Square location. The ideal applicant will join a team working on the development of tissue engineering platforms (Organs-on-Chip) and/or cell processing platforms for therapeutic applications. We are seeking a scientist who is fluent in cell biology and immunology and well-versed in an array of interdisciplinary areas, that could include molecular biology, tissue engineering, microbiology and genetic engineering (e.g. gene editing). The position also requires the candidate to be enthusiastic, observant, collaborative, and dedicated and have a strong leadership background, excellent communication and organizational skills, and personal drive to enable them to thrive in Draper's fast-paced and collaborative environment. The selected candidate will join a diverse and accomplished group of biologists and engineers and must display an ability to interact well with others as part of a cohesive team. Draper offers a distinctive atmosphere that blends the best aspects from academia, government, and industry and that fosters innovation, a supportive team environment, intellectual freedom and creativity, and an emphasis on career development. The available position offers the potential for career growth and opportunities to take on more responsibilities over-time.

Key Responsibilities:

Collaboratively design diverse research projects, participate in internal and external funding opportunities, and supervise research teams focused on development of preclinical tissue models (Organs-on-Chip) for therapeutic applications and disease modeling and/or clinical-grade cell processing platforms for improving cell therapy (such as CAR-T) outcomes
• Innovate and collaborate with mechanical and materials engineers to design and characterize novel devices and tools for culture of and/or genetic manipulation of cells and tissues
• Plan and execute hands-on BSL2 biological experiments, and train and supervise junior staff
• Utilize prior experience and knowledge in cell biology and immunology to serve as a subject matter expert
• Present and publish results at internal and external forums and lead and/or participate in the writing of manuscripts
• Manage interactions with external collaborators on ongoing projects, generate new project concepts, and actively participate in writing academic, government, and commercial grants and proposals
• Assist with ongoing development of internal capabilities and strategies by providing technical expertise and thought leadership.

Required Qualifications:

• PhD or MS in cell biology, immunology, stem cell biology, biological engineering, biomedical engineering, or a related biological discipline. 2+ years of relevant work experience after completion of PhD level or 5+ years of relevant work experience after completion of MS degree, with a demonstrated understanding of human immunology and human systems for ex vivo research
• Expert knowledge of and demonstrated and extensive, hands-on experience in primary mammalian cell culture, flow cytometry and flow cytometric analysis, immunophenotyping and immunologic assays
• Hands-on experience with a variety of cell based and molecular biology assays and technologies such as confocal imaging, ELISA/Luminex, and qPCR
• Ability to work independently and, simultaneously, as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Project leadership experience and a willingness to mentor both senior and junior research colleagues
• Excellent communication, presentation, time management, and organizational skills with history of active public, academic or customer presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications
• Interest in writing proposals/grants and participating in the formation of new programs to solve the nation's most challenging problems
• Demonstrated ability to multitask, troubleshoot problems, work in a dynamic and diverse project environment, and adapt to changing priorities
• Demonstrated background in conducting collaborative and multidisciplinary research

Preferred Skills/Competencies (any of the following):

• Preferred (but not required): Demonstrated experience writing innovative R&D proposals to commercial and/or government sponsors and generating intellectual property (IP)
• Preferred (but not required): Experience teaming with sponsors, collaborators, and/or customers

• Preferred (but not required): Expertise in molecular biology, microbiology, stem cell biology, cell and tissue engineering, genetic engineering (gene editing), and/or immune-oncology
• Preferred (but not required): Organ-on-chip, bioprocessing, and/or cell therapy manufacturing R&D experience

• Preferred (but not required): Engineering background, experience with microfluidic systems, bioinformatics and coding experience, and/or demonstrated collaborative activities
• Preferred (but not required): Experience working in a BSL3 environment with infectious pathogens

Candidate must be a US citizen. Candidate will be required to obtain and maintain a US Security Clearance.

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