Principal Scientist

job summary: Join a top-tier global pharma leader in Cambridge, MA, as a Bench Scientist Biologist - Level 3. This is a high-impact opportunity to lead the development of scalable, cell-based assay platforms for evaluating multi-epitope mRNA construct designs. You will play a pivotal role in optimizing mRNA vaccine constructs within a cutting-edge, high-throughput environment.

location:

Cambridge, Massachusetts job type: Contract salary: $83.00 - 84.47 per hour work hours: 9 to 5 education: Doctorate responsibilities: Lead the development of cell-based assays to evaluate and rank mRNA construct designs, focusing on expression proxies and T cell activation. Provide technical leadership in complex flow cytometry, including multi-color panel design, acquisition, gating standards, and troubleshooting. Partner with Molecular Biology and RNA teams to translate assay readouts into actionable mRNA design recommendations. Establish robust, high-throughput workflows (96/384-well formats) using primary immune cells and engineered cell lines. Ensure data integrity and operational compliance while mentoring team members on new assay capabilities and SOPs.

qualifications:

Required:

PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field with 3+ years of post-doc/industry experience (or MS with 8+ years). Deep hands-on expertise in flow cytometry (design through analysis) and building reproducible assays. Strong knowledge of RNA biology, cloning, and mRNA vaccine principles. Extensive experience working with immune or engineered cell lines. Practical experience with microscopy-based assays (confocal or high-content imaging) for cellular readouts.

Preferred:

Experience with high-throughput screening and liquid-handling platforms (e.g., Tecan, Hamilton). Expertise in T cell functional assays and antigen processing pathways. #LI-CV1 skills: Molecular Biology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS),

Flow Cytometry, SOP Development Equal Opportunity Employer:

Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, Age, Genetic Information, Disability, Protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected group status.

At Randstad, we welcome people of all abilities and want to ensure that our hiring and interview process meets the needs of all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation to make your application or interview experience a great one, please contact HRsupport@randstadusa.com. Pay offered to a successful candidate will be based on several factors including the candidate's education, work experience, work location, specific job duties, certifications, etc. In addition, Randstad offers a comprehensive benefits package, including: medical, prescription, dental, vision, AD&D, and life insurance offerings, short-term disability, and a 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility). This posting is open for thirty (30) days. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. job detailssummary$83 - $84.47 per hourcontractpostgraduate degreecategorylife, physical, and social science occupationsreference53549job details job summary: Join a top-tier global pharma leader in Cambridge, MA, as a Bench Scientist Biologist - Level 3. This is a high-impact opportunity to lead the development of scalable, cell-based assay platforms for evaluating multi-epitope mRNA construct designs. You will play a pivotal role in optimizing mRNA vaccine constructs within a cutting-edge, high-throughput environment.

location:

Cambridge, Massachusetts job type: Contract salary: $83.00 - 84.47 per hour work hours: 9 to 5 education: Doctorate responsibilities: Lead the development of cell-based assays to evaluate and rank mRNA construct designs, focusing on expression proxies and T cell activation. Provide technical leadership in complex flow cytometry, including multi-color panel design, acquisition, gating standards, and troubleshooting. Partner with Molecular Biology and RNA teams to translate assay readouts into actionable mRNA design recommendations. Establish robust, high-throughput workflows (96/384-well formats) using primary immune cells and engineered cell lines. Ensure data integrity and operational compliance while mentoring team members on new assay capabilities and SOPs.

qualifications:

Required:

PhD in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field with 3+ years of post-doc/industry experience (or MS with 8+ years). Deep hands-on expertise in flow cytometry (design through analysis) and building reproducible assays. Strong knowledge of RNA biology, cloning, and mRNA vaccine principles. Extensive experience working with immune or engineered cell lines. Practical experience with microscopy-based assays (confocal or high-content imaging) for cellular readouts.

Preferred:

Experience with high-throughput screening and liquid-handling platforms (e.g., Tecan, Hamilton). Expertise in T cell functional assays and antigen processing pathways. #LI-CV1 skills: Molecular Biology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS),

Flow Cytometry, SOP Development Equal Opportunity Employer:

Race, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, Age, Genetic Information, Disability, Protected Veteran Status, or any other legally protected group status.

At Randstad, we welcome people of all abilities and want to ensure that our hiring and interview process meets the needs of all applicants. If you require a reasonable accommodation to make your application or interview experience a great one, please contact HRsupport@randstadusa.com. Pay offered to a successful candidate will be based on several factors including the candidate's education, work experience, work location, specific job duties, certifications, etc. In addition, Randstad offers a comprehensive benefits package, including: medical, prescription, dental, vision, AD&D, and life insurance offerings, short-term disability, and a 401K plan (all benefits are based on eligibility). This posting is open for thirty (30) days. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.