Senior Scientist I

Molecular Designs is a team of doctors and scientists working to advance molecular diagnostics.
Our founding physicians entered the molecular diagnostics market focused on the most common pathogens that impact the population making products that are cost-effective, reduce waste, and are easy-to-use.

This scientist role supports the design, refinement, and performance optimization of RT-qPCR/qPCR assays primarily for infectious disease applications. This role is centered on driving assays to best-in-class analytical performance such as sensitivity, specificity, robustness, and reproducibility, through rigorous experimentation, root-cause troubleshooting, and iterative design improvements. The ideal candidate is a hands-on molecular biologist who thrives on squeezing performance out of an assay and enjoys the full arc from primer/probe design through analytical validation. Experience with master mix or reagent formulation is a valuable plus, but the core focus of this role is assay-level optimization and design.

Essential Functions

• Develop and optimize primers and probes for multiplex real-time PCR assays.
• Troubleshoot assay performance issues related to amplification efficiency, non-specific amplification, and cross-reactivity.
• Lead analytical validation studies such as: limit of detection (LoD), specificity/cross-reactivity, precision, linearity, and interference studies.
• Ensure studies are done in compliance with regulatory/ISO requirements.
• Mentor junior scientists and research associates; review experimental design and data interpretation.
• Present findings to internal stakeholders and, as needed, external partners or customers.
• Report out results and data in a clear and concise manner to management.
• Familiarity with formulating PCR/RT-PCR master mixes or related enzymatic reagent systems (enzyme kinetics, buffer optimization, lyophilization or stabilization chemistry) is a plus.