Research Associate
US$84,500 – US$106,000 / yr base salary
Posted 14 Oct 2026
Advertised as “Senior Research Associate, Molecular Engineering (Fixed-Term Contract)”
BranchFactor Summary
The original posting with the fluff stripped out
- Expected experience
- 2+ yrs
- Management level
- Individual contributor
- Employment
- On-Site
- Contract
- Contract
- Visa sponsorship
- Not offered
| Base salary | US$84,500 – US$106,000 / yr |
|---|
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 highly skilled and motivated Senior Research Associate to join the Molecular Engineering team within the Genome Engineering Technology Center at Arc to support the routine execution of arrayed and pooled genetic perturbation screens in disease-relevant, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived microglia. In this position, you will facilitate core workflows across the team's genetic perturbation screening pipelines, including stem cell culture, HPC/microglia differentiation, and viral transduction. You will support a range of downstream screening and validation efforts, gaining broad exposure to the end-to-end pipelines that power the Institute's Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, an ambitious cross-functional effort aimed at identifying and developing drugs for rational therapeutic targets to combat devastating neurodegenerative disorders.
The ideal candidate will have experience and proficient skills in stem cell culture and functional characterization of perturbed cells, with expertise in implementing, running, and troubleshooting workflows with outstanding attention to detail. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated and curious researcher interested in helping translate genomic insights into therapeutic strategies by contributing to a pioneering platform that has the potential to transform our understanding and treatment of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.