Senior Research Associate/Associate Scientist, Synthetic Immunology

Department: Synthetic Immunology
Reports to: Sr. Scientist
Location: Onsite 5 days per week in Berkeley, CA

Employment Type: Full-time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Bonus/Equity: Eligible

 

About Azalea

Azalea Therapeutics is enabling precision genome engineering directly inside the body, with an initial focus on creating cancer immunotherapies in vivo. Azalea is pioneering a new way to turn a person’s own T cells into a powerful cancer therapy — directly inside the body. Instead of removing cells and manipulating them in a lab, we use precision genome editing tools to engineer T cells where they already live. At the center of our approach are Enveloped Delivery Vehicles, or EDVs. As highly selective couriers, EDVs are designed to specifically locate T cells within the patient and deliver our genome engineering cargo. Once inside the cell, the anti-cancer agent is inserted into a precise site in the genome, ensuring safe and potent modifications to fortify the T cells against cancers.

Why this matters:

• We aim to make cell therapy faster and more accessible by avoiding complex manufacturing outside the body.

• Our platform is designed for precision, so the right cells are safely programmed to effectively fight cancer.

• This technology has the potential to treat a wide range of cancers with a streamlined, scalable process.

 

Our goal is simple: develop next-generation delivery technologies to bring genetic engineering and cell therapies to more patients.

How We Work

Azalea is building ambitious science in a fast-moving environment. The people who thrive here are accountable, adaptable, rigorous, humble, and direct. Across roles and functions, we look for team members who demonstrate the following:

• Outcome Ownership - We own results, close loops, and follow through without needing to be prompted. We take responsibility for moving work forward and making sure important decisions, deliverables, and handoffs do not fall through the cracks.

• Comfort with Ambiguity - We operate in an early-stage environment where information may be incomplete and priorities may evolve. We clarify quickly, make thoughtful decisions with the information available, and adapt without unnecessary drama.

• High Standards, Low Ego - We care deeply about the quality of the work and the impact it can have for patients. We raise the bar while staying humble, direct, and open to feedback.

• Collaboration and Candor - We share context early, communicate clearly, partner across functions, and operate with transparency. We believe strong collaboration requires both trust and direct communication.

The Opportunity

Azalea Therapeutics is seeking a hands-on, scientifically rigorous Senior Research Associate / Associate Scientist to join our Synthetic Immunology team. In this role, you will help advance next-generation in vivo cell and gene therapies by generating high-quality data that supports multiple pre-clinical programs, functional characterization of engineered immune cells, and broader platform and pipeline development.

The successful candidate will bring strong technical judgment and curiosity to complex experimental work. Depending on level, this may include independently planning and executing studies, troubleshooting assays, analyzing and interpreting data, communicating results to project teams, and translating program needs into high-quality experimental plans. Senior Research Associate candidates will be expected to demonstrate strong technical ownership and reliable independent execution, while Associate Scientist candidates will bring broader experimental design ownership, deeper scientific judgment, and the ability to help shape defined workstreams within program goals.

Key Responsibilities

•  Independently plan, execute, analyze, and document in vitro experiments to evaluate engineered T cell products, delivery technologies, and functional immune-cell responses.

• Culture, engineer, expand, and characterize primary T cells and relevant mammalian cell lines using viral and non-viral gene delivery methods.

• Perform and optimize cell-based and immunological assays, including multicolor flow cytometry, FACS-based workflows, cytokine analysis, proliferation, activation, cytotoxicity, and related functional assays.

• Generate high-quality data to support candidate evaluation, assay development, process and analytical readiness, and decisions about when programs or platform concepts are ready for additional in vivo or translational evaluation.

•  Troubleshoot experimental workflows, identify sources of variability, recommend assay improvements, and contribute to fit-for-purpose method development.

•  Analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate experimental results, including limitations, risks, follow-up experiments, and implications for program decisions.

• Maintain accurate, timely, and inspection-ready laboratory records in accordance with Azalea documentation expectations and good scientific practice.

• Collaborate across research, process development, analytical development, preclinical, and program teams to align experimental work with company priorities.

• Contribute to lab operations, reagent and cell-bank management, sample processing, and safe, reliable laboratory practices.

• Associate Scientist will help define experimental plans within assigned workstreams, mentor or guide junior research staff on techniques and documentation, and represent data in cross-functional scientific discussions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in immunology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related life science discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Senior Research Associate Required Experience: Minimum 4 years of relevant hands-on laboratory experience in academic, biotech, or pharmaceutical research.

• Associate Scientist Required Experience: Minimum 6 years of relevant hands-on laboratory experience demonstrating independent experimental design and scientific judgment.

• Successful candidates must have hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and primary immune cell workflows, including T cell isolation, activation, engineering, expansion, characterization, or related immune cell systems.

• Experience with flow cytometry, including multicolor staining, sample preparation, panel execution, data analysis, and interpretation using FlowJo or similar software.

• Experience generating, characterizing, or evaluating engineered immune cells, such as CAR T, TCR T, genome-edited T cells, or related cellular therapy systems.

• Demonstrated ability to independently execute experiments, troubleshoot technical issues, analyze and interpret data, maintain accurate records, and communicate findings clearly to scientific teams.

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, accountability, communication and ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

•  Experience with cytokine quantification methods such as ELISA, MSD, Luminex, or related platforms.

•  Experience with cytotoxicity assays, Incucyte-based assays, high-content imaging, or other quantitative functional readouts.

•  Experience with viral or non-viral gene delivery, including lentiviral transduction, AAV-related workflows, or delivery vehicle characterization.

•  Experience supporting assay optimization, analytical method development, high-throughput screening, or comparability-oriented studies.

•  Experience working with electronic laboratory notebooks and maintaining high-quality documentation to support program decisions.

• Experience mentoring junior colleagues, training others on laboratory techniques, or coordinating small experimental workstreams.

 

What Success Looks Like in the First 3–6 Months

•  Builds fluency in Azalea’s core platform, program priorities, experimental systems, documentation practices, and laboratory workflows.

•  Independently executes assigned experiments and produces clear, reproducible, well-documented data that project teams can use with confidence.

•  Identifies and communicates technical risks, sources of assay variability, and practical recommendations for follow-up experiments or workflow improvements.

•  Develop trusted working relationships across research and adjacent functions through clear communication, follow-through, and thoughtful scientific judgment.

• Associate Scientists will begin taking ownership of defined experimental workstreams and meaningfully contribute to study design, data interpretation, and prioritization discussions.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

• Ability to work onsite at Azalea’s laboratory space in Berkeley, CA five days per week.

• Ability to perform laboratory work requiring standing, sitting, pipetting, handling biological samples, using standard laboratory equipment, and following applicable safety procedures.

• May require occasional schedule flexibility to support time-sensitive experiments, cell-culture workflows, sample processing, or study timelines.

Compensation and Benefits

• The expected salary range for this position based in Berkeley, California is $105,000 - $125,000 per year. Offer amounts are determined by factors such as experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. Salary will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, training and market. 

• This role is eligible for annual performance bonuses, equity grants, and a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement plan with company match, and paid time off.