Senior Associate Scientist, Molecular Analytics BioEngineering

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits.

This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it.

The Cell Therapy Thematic Research Center is one of BMS’s differentiated research platforms delivering innovative therapies to patients. Our mission is to drive leadership in the use of cellular therapies to harness the power of the immune system in treating hematologic malignancies, solid cancers, and autoimmune disease. More specifically, our discovery and translational scientists are focused on developing next-generation, engineered cell-based therapies.

The team is committed to discovering and developing transformative therapies that harness the power of the immune system to improve patient outcomes.

Position Summary

The Bioengineering and Technology Innovation team seeks a highly motivated, self-driven Senior Associate Scientist dedicated to discovering and developing novel engineered CAR T-cell therapies for cancer. The successful candidate will have hands-on experience extracting and analyzing nucleic acids from primary cells and cell lines, with essential expertise in quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR); cell culture experience is preferred.

The primary focus is developing and running custom ddPCR assays to assess gene-editing outcomes in Cell Therapy products and support preclinical CAR T asset development. Working with senior researchers in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, the candidate will execute studies, analyze data, and communicate results.

Position Responsibilities

This is a hands-on, laboratory-based role within the Bioengineering & Technology Innovation team in the Cell Therapy Research Thematic Research Center. The ideal Senior Associate Scientist will:

• Develop, optimize, and run custom ddPCR assays—including primer and probe design—to measure gene-editing outcomes in Cell Therapy products
• Perform qPCR and ddPCR workflows on gene-edited samples and refine analytical approaches for lentiviral vector characterization
• Extract, clean up, and assess the quality of nucleic acids from primary cells and cell lines
• Optimize PCR parameters for targeted analyses
• Design and execute experiments, independently analyze and interpret results—including large, complex datasets—and communicate findings that inform team decisions
• Troubleshoot technical issues, select practical solutions, and contribute ideas for new methods and continuous improvement
• Maintain detailed, timely electronic laboratory notebook documentation and proactively update the team on progress
• Coordinate and collaborate with cross-functional colleagues to deliver results and implement molecular analytical methods for cell therapy
• Represent the department or team on broader program or project teams as needed
• Work predominantly in the laboratory and on-site full-time, independently performing most day-to-day experimental work

The ideal candidate can independently design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments within established project goals, exercising sound scientific judgment while seeking guidance on complex or novel issues. They are expected to effectively manage their day-to-day work and priorities to meet deliverables.

Experience =

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree 4+ years of academic and / or industry experience

Or

Master’s Degree 2+ years of academic and / or industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a scientific discipline with 4+ years of academic and/or industry experience, or a master’s degree with 2+ years of experience
• Hands-on experience developing and running ddPCR assays, including primer/probe design and optimization, ideally for measuring gene-editing outcomes is required
• Experience with nucleic acid extraction and characterization is required
• Understanding of gene-editing technologies (e.g., CRISPR/Cas and base editing) and resulting genetic outcomes (e.g., indels and base conversions)
• Development experience of analytical assays to characterize lentiviral vectors, especially using the Leprechaun or other imaging-based platforms is a strong plus
• Experience transducing cell lines or primary cells with lentiviral vectors
• Cell-line and/or primary-cell culture experience; cell sorting is a plus
• Experience running or optimizing immunofluorescence or fluorescence in situ hybridization assays is a strong plus
• Experience optimizing and/or running Western blots or automated Western blots (Wes, Jess)
• Experience with ddPCR/qPCR platforms and analysis software (e.g., QX200, QXOne, and CFX Maestro), RNA extraction, and RT-qPCR
• Experience with column- and bead-based nucleic acid extraction, liquid handlers, and quality-control instruments (e.g., KingFisher Apex, Hamilton, Stunner, TapeStation, and Qubit)
• Ability to manage and interpret complex data from large sample sets, such as multiple 96- or 384-well plates
• Familiarity with molecular biology and genetics, software such as SnapGene or Geneious, and electronic laboratory notebooks
• Strong organization, attention to detail, and documentation, with the ability to prioritize and meet commitments
• Excellent written and verbal communication and effective collaboration in large, cross-functional teams
• Experience with data-analysis tools such as JMP is a plus
• Experience performing data analysis in excel and using intermediate skills in Excel (lookup functions) is a plus
• Creative, flexible thinking and adaptability in a fast-paced, changing environment
• We hire for skills and capabilities, not just credentials – if this role excites you, but doesn’t perfectly match your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway.