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Senior Research Associate, Cell Culture Team, Integrated Research
Job Description
Seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate to join our Cell Culture Team and support early discovery programs. This is a hands-on laboratory role focused on generating high-quality cellular materials to enable critical go/no-go decisions. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, collaborative, and thrives in a fast-paced discovery environment.
As the team and function grow, this role can offer meaningful opportunities for professional development and expanded responsibilities.
What you will do:
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Perform routine mammalian cell culture, including expansion, maintenance, cryopreservation, and thawing of multiple cell lines.
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Maintain accurate cell line inventory and experimental documentation using Benchling.
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Respond to urgent, time-sensitive requests from discovery teams to support key program milestones.
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Develop protocols and document experimental workflows and observations with high rigor.
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Partner closely with cross-functional teams to assess cell line needs and deliver materials on defined timelines.
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Contribute to a culture of transparent, proactive communication across teams.
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Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, robustness, and scalability of cell culture workflows.
Required Skills, Experience and Education:
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B.S./M.S. degree in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Cancer Biology, or related life science field with 3+ years of hands-on mammalian cell culture experience; biopharmaceutical or biotechnology industry experience preferred.
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Demonstrated expertise in aseptic technique and mammalian cell culture, including:
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Concurrent handling of multiple cell lines
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Media preparation with complex supplements
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DMSO dilution calculations and cryopreservation best practices
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Strong experience optimizing and troubleshooting mammalian cell culture systems.
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Familiarity with cell culture quality control practices (e.g., mycoplasma testing, cell line authentication).
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Proficiency with electronic lab notebooks (e.g., Benchling) for experiment documentation, inventory management, and workflow execution.
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Excellent organizational skills with meticulous attention to detail and data integrity.
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Strong written and verbal communication skills
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Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams.
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Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines, and remain composed in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
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Familiarity with standard laboratory equipment (microscopes, pipettes, centrifuges, cell counters).
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A positive, flexible, and collaborative mindset with a continuous improvement mentality.
Preferred Skills:
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Experience working with cancer cell lines, primary cells, or genetically engineered cell lines.
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Experience with viral and non-viral transduction or transfection methods (e.g., lentivirus, retrovirus, lipid-based systems).
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Hands-on experience with 2D and 3D cell culture systems, including spheroids and/or organoid models.
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Exposure to cell-based assay development and downstream applications (e.g., viability, proliferation, reporter assays).
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Experience supporting early discovery or translational research programs.
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Experience in regulated or semi-regulated laboratory environments with strong documentation standards.
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Exposure to automation, high-throughput cell culture, or scale-up workflows.
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations. It is our policy not to discriminate against any applicant or employee, and we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful work environment across all locations in which we operate. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our mission and enhance our ability to serve clients globally. If you have a disability or require any reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please inform your recruiter or contact us directly so that we can explore the appropriate arrangements.
Fraud Alert: Candidate safety is a top priority at Planet Pharma. The industry has seen an increase in people falsely representing themselves as recruiters to gather personal information from job seekers. For your safety, do not provide sensitive data to anyone you have not spoken with thoroughly, never provide banking information during the application process and always double check the email address of the Recruiter to ensure it’s from an official Planet Pharma domain (@planet-pharma.com, @planet-pharma.co.uk, and @ppgadvisorypartners.com) and not a domain with an alternative extension like .net, .org or .jobs.
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