Junior Scientist/Senior Research Associate

Key Responsibilities: Independently design, execute, and interpret preclinical and translational studies. Critically evaluate data, identify key biological insights, and integrate findings with current scientific literature. Develop hypotheses, propose next-step studies, and contribute to project strategy discussions. Apply expertise in epithelial cell biology and advanced in vitro systems; experience in pulmonary epithelial biology, lung fibrosis, 3D cellular models, organoids, and/or single-cell transcriptomic approaches is highly desirable. The candidate should be comfortable working independently as well as collaboratively, managing multiple priorities, and adapting to the needs of a dynamic small-company research environment.

Internal Scientific Duties: Independently design, execute, troubleshoot, and optimize cellular and molecular biology experiments addressing mechanistic and disease-relevant questions. Develop and implement physiologically relevant in vitro models to investigate epithelial function, inflammation, tissue injury and repair, and fibrosis. Develop and apply advanced cellular models, including co-culture and 3D systems, to investigate cellular interactions and mechanisms of drug activity. Analyze experimental data, critically interpret results, identify limitations and alternative explanations, and propose appropriate follow-up experiments. Integrate experimental findings with published literature and emerging biology to generate new hypotheses and contribute to research strategy. Perform molecular and cellular characterization using techniques such as qPCR, gene-expression analysis, Western blotting, imaging, and other relevant approaches. Develop and maintain laboratory protocols and SOPs to ensure experimental consistency and reproducibility. Present experimental results, conclusions, and recommendations at research, project-team, and cross-functional meetings. Maintain current knowledge of relevant scientific literature and emerging technologies and proactively identify findings or approaches relevant to company programs.

External Scientific Duties: Provide scientific input into the design and interpretation of studies conducted by CROs and academic collaborators. Participate in scientific discussions with external collaborators and subject-matter experts as needed.

Education: PhD in cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, pharmacology, biomedical sciences, or a related scientific discipline, or an MS degree with 5+ years of relevant research experience. Skills and Attributes: Strong scientific curiosity and demonstrated ability to engage deeply with biological questions rather than focusing solely on experimental execution. Highly self-motivated, proactive, and comfortable taking scientific ownership of assigned projects. Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex or unexpected experimental results. Ability to independently prioritize experiments and recommend next steps based on emerging data. Strong attention to experimental rigor, reproducibility, and data quality. Collaborative and comfortable working across internal functions and with external scientific partners. Adaptable and resourceful in a dynamic, fast-paced biotechnology environment. Proficient with Graph Pad Prism and Microsoft Office. Familiarity with tools used for analysis and visualization of large biological datasets is desirable. Some scheduling flexibility to accommodate experimental needs.

Interview Process: Candidates selected for the final stage of the interview process will be asked to give a scientific presentation on their previous research, including experimental rationale, key findings, interpretation, and their individual contributions. EQ is an Equal Opportunity Employer