Research Associate
US$76,000 / yr base salary
Posted 9 Oct 2026
Advertised as “Research Associate II, Pluvinage Lab”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Level
- II
- Expected experience
- 2+ yrs
- Management level
- Individual contributor
| Base salary | US$76,000 / yr |
|---|
Field of studyBiochemistry, Bioengineering, Genetics, Immunology, Molecular Biology (or related)
Study levelBachelor's or higher
About Arc Institute
Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.
Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone.
Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action:
- Virtual Cell Initiative: Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets, accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials.
- Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes.
More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding.
About the position
We are seeking a Research Associate to join the Pluvinage Lab at the Arc Institute. Our goal is to improve the lives of patients with neurological diseases. We do this by exploring undiagnosed autoimmunity in rare mystery cases and common neurodegenerative conditions alike. Starting with clinical observations and primary patient tissue, we use functional genomics, protein display technologies, and computational tools to embark on deep mechanistic dives into the contribution of autoimmunity to cognitive function. Your work will have the potential to uncover novel autoantibodies that drive cognitive decline in autoimmune encephalitis, that modulate cognitive decline in dementia, and that promote cognitive resilience in healthy brain aging.
The questions we ask:
- How do autoantibodies regulate cognition?
- What is the source, target, and mechanism of pathogenic autoantibodies in neurological disease?
- How can we eliminate pathogenic autoantibodies while leaving the rest of the immune system intact?
- How does comorbid autoimmunity contribute to cognitive decline in neurodegeneration?
- Are there protective autoantibodies that promote cognitive resilience in healthy brain aging?