Research Associate (Intern)

Position Description

Juvena Therapeutics is seeking a highly self-motivated Research Associate intern with the option to become a full-time employee after 3 months. We are searching for an individual who is passionate about developing a multi-omics workflow that deeply interrogates the disease modifying effects of candidate molecules. The individual will be an integral member of the in vitro discovery team and will work alongside computational biologists and machine learning engineers.

Company Summary

Juvena Therapeutics is on a mission to discover and develop biologics for rare and chronic degenerative diseases by mining the secretomes of human pluripotent stem cells through a machine learning (ML)-enhanced platform. Juvena’s approach integrates proteomics, transcriptomics and imaging with phenotypic human in vitro disease model screening and extensive preclinical validation to mine stem cell secretomes as a rich source of new medicines for chronic and rare diseases. We are advancing leads for muscular dystrophies and muscle atrophy, and validating hits across metabolic and pulmonary diseases with a goal to identify and develop two new assets in new disease indications over the next two years. Since our launch in mid-2018, Juvena has discovered dozens of hits for neuromuscular, skeletal, metabolic and pulmonary diseases, including several muscle regenerative protein therapeutic candidates with potent human in vitro and mice in vivo efficacy. Juvena is advancing a developmental candidate for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, a rare autosomal dominant, progressive muscle-wasting disease, in IND-enabling studies.

Juvena Therapeutics has secured venture capital, NIH, and CIRM funding to develop our top lead to a clinical-stage investigational new drug, to build our stem cell secretome database, and to leverage our discovery platform to rapidly identify and validate novel protein-based drug candidates for multiple rare and chronic diseases across metabolic and pulmonary therapeutic areas. At Juvena we embrace a diversity of backgrounds, experience and approaches that all combine to lead us to world-class scientific results in an inclusive environment.

Position Location and work permit requirement

640 Galveston Dr. Redwood City, 64063.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the US.

Major Responsibilities

• Development and optimization of functional genomics and high-content screening technologies
• Execution of NGS workflows including library prep and sequencing from cells and primary tissues
• Build our expertise in human disease models to expand Juvena’s platform screening capabilities across multiple organ model systems
• Integrate the latest in cell culture techniques and analytical methods to increase throughput and information content in our in vitro screening and pharmacology
• Perform experiments in disease model systems as well as support our projects with cell-based and biochemical assays
• Communicate scientific findings across different functional groups

Position Requirements and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in biology, bioengineering, or a related field
• Experienced with troubleshooting technical challenges related to cell assays

Preferred Qualifications

• 1+ years of undergraduate or industry research experience in cell biology or genomics work
• Experienced in wet lab or dry lab workflows associated with cell culture, imaging, cloning, biochemistry, library preparation, and sequencing
• Experience with high content imaging, automation, or NGS pipelines
• Knowledge of regenerative medicine, adipose, or skeletal muscle biology
• Experience with programming (Python preferred), especially in image, sequence, or data analysis

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual bonus and stock options
• Health/Dental/Vision insurance
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Partial 401K matching