Senior Scientist, iPSC Core Lead at Conception

Berkeley, California, United States

Conception Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Biotechnology, Reproductive BiologyIndustries

Requirements

  • PhD in Cell or Developmental Biology or related field (preferred), or Master’s with relevant industry experience
  • Extensive, senior-scientist-level experience with iPSC culture, naïve pluripotency (preferred), and differentiation protocols to one or more lineages
  • Proven ability to run organized, traceable, high-quality cell culture operations
  • Experience mentoring or managing junior scientists
  • Exceptionally organized, detail-oriented, and proactive
  • Strong communicator and collaborator
  • Motivation to build systems that scale from R&D to preclinical and CMC readiness
  • PhD or equivalent work experience

Responsibilities

  • Organize and run the iPSC core day-to-day
  • Maintain cell banks and execute QC for iPSCs and feeder lines
  • Track QC results, reagents, lots, consumables, and equipment; manage incubators and hoods in collaboration with Operations
  • Work closely with Operations to ensure differentiation protocols remain extremely stable and repeatable
  • Build and document SOPs for routine workflows
  • Collaborate with the Cell Engineering team to validate, QC, bank, and integrate new cell lines into the core
  • Establish strong communication loops with R&D teams to manage cell handoffs, define acceptance criteria, and communicate disruptions or delays to maintain quality
  • Lead, mentor, and grow a small team; set expectations for consistency, documentation, and accountability
  • Keep junior scientists engaged and motivated on core work; invest in training and mentorship
  • Coordinate across R&D and Operations to communicate timings, risks, delays, and mitigations proactively
  • Collaborate with R&D scientists to standardize and scale directed differentiation of at least one lineage, expanding to multiple lines over time
  • Partner with ML and computational biology experts to explore automated imaging and RNAseq as predictors of long-term culture success
  • Develop and implement new QC methods for differentiations
  • Propose innovations to improve cell quality, efficiency, and early risk detection

Skills

iPSC
stem cell culture
QC
cell banking
feeder lines
differentiation protocols
SOPs
ML imaging
sequencing
team leadership

Conception

Biotech firm developing egg cells from blood

About Conception

Conception.bio focuses on improving fertility treatments through advanced biotechnology. The company has developed a method to create viable egg cells from blood samples by transforming induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into mature egg cells. This process allows women to extend their fertility, provides new options for couples facing infertility, and enables genetic screening of embryos to avoid hereditary diseases. Unlike other fertility treatment providers, Conception.bio directly serves individuals and couples, including same-sex male couples, with a unique approach to egg cell development. The goal is to lead the fertility treatment market by offering effective solutions that address the diverse needs of those seeking to conceive.

Berkeley, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2017Year Founded
$23MTotal Funding
SERIES_ACompany Stage
Biotechnology, HealthcareIndustries
51-200Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
Company Equity
Flexible Work Hours

Risks

Ethical concerns about iPSCs may lead to public backlash and regulatory challenges.
Competition from companies like Dioseve could impact Conception's market share.
Legal challenges in iPSC and fertility treatment IP rights could arise.

Differentiation

Conception turns skin cells into viable human eggs, a groundbreaking fertility innovation.
Their technology offers fertility solutions for women, infertile couples, and same-sex male couples.
Conception's iPSC-based approach allows for genetic screening and potential disease prevention.

Upsides

Growing interest in genetic screening boosts demand for Conception's reproductive technologies.
Advancements in CRISPR enhance Conception's potential for genetic disease prevention.
Fertility treatment market growth presents significant opportunities for Conception's solutions.

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