Research Associate / Senior Research Associate, Genomic Core

About Xaira Therapeutics

Xaira is an innovative biotech startup focused on leveraging AI to transform drug discovery and development. The company is leading the development of generative AI models to design protein and antibody therapeutics, enabling the creation of medicines against historically hard-to-drug molecular targets. It is also developing foundation models for biology and disease to enable better target elucidation and patient stratification. Collectively, these technologies aim to continually enable the identification of novel therapies and to improve success in drug development. Xaira is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and London.

About the Role

Xaira is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Research Associate / Senior Research Associate to join our Genomic Core team with a focus on next-generation sequencing (NGS). The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Illumina-based sequencing technologies, including library preparation, single-cell workflows, and sequencer operation. This position offers the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of projects across therapeutic areas, supporting cutting-edge genomics research and technology development.

You will work closely with molecular biologists, computational scientists, and platform teams to generate high-quality sequencing data, implement new workflows, and ensure best practices in data generation and quality control.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare high-quality sequencing libraries for Illumina platforms using a range of methods (e.g., TruSeq, Nextera, Amplicon, etc.).
• Operate and maintain Illumina sequencers (e.g., MiSeq, NextSeq, NovaSeq), including run setup, monitoring, troubleshooting, and basic maintenance.
• Support and execute single-cell workflows, including 10x Genomics GEM-X and 10x Flex assays.
• Perform QC of input material and libraries (e.g., Bioanalyzer, TapeStation, Qubit, qPCR) and assess data quality post-sequencing.
• Collaborate with internal teams to support project-specific NGS needs.
• Troubleshoot experimental issues independently and suggest improvements to protocols and workflows.
• Develop and optimize NGS protocols and contribute to the scaling of automated or high-throughput sequencing pipelines.
• Contribute to the development of scalable, high-throughput cloning and viral production pipelines.
• Maintain detailed electronic lab notebook (ELN) records and ensure rigorous documentation for reproducibility and compliance.
• Participate in group meetings and communicate experimental progress, challenges, and insights to broader teams.
• Running analysis pipelines (e.g., bcl2fastq, CellRanger, etc).

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S. in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Biotechnology, or a related field with 2+ years of laboratory experience, including direct experience in NGS workflows.
• Proficient in Illumina sequencing library preparation methods for DNA and RNA, with a strong understanding of underlying biochemistry and assay design.
• Hands-on experience with Illumina sequencer operation and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with single-cell workflows (e.g., 10x Genomics GEM-X) and/or 10x Genomics Flex assays is strongly preferred.
• Experience with quality control methods for nucleic acids and libraries (e.g., fragment analysis, fluorometric quantification, library quantification).
• Strong organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail in both benchwork and data documentation.
• Familiarity in library cloning techniques such as vector design, PCR, assembly methods (e.g. Gibson, Golden Gate), and bacterial transformation is a plus.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment, supporting multiple projects and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of high-throughput or automated NGS library prep platforms is a plus.
• Familiarity with cloud-based LIMS or data tracking systems (e.g., Benchling, BaseSpace) is a plus.
• Basic knowledge of NGS data analysis (e.g., demultiplexing, QC metrics interpretation, familiarity with sequencing file formats) is a plus.

Compensation