NGS Scientist

Seven Life Science have an amazing opportunity available as a NGS Scientist, this role is based in Monmouth JCT, New Jersey, U.S.

About The Organization

• Acutis is a specialized medical laboratory that complements its hard science with the soft skills of its support teams.
• This combination allows practitioners to diagnose and treat with greater confidence and with ease
• Acutis serves the medical community and related fields by providing rapid, reliable diagnostic insights that impact clinical decisions in: infectious disease, clinical toxicology for substance use testing and medication monitoring and oncology
• We are a biomedical specialty laboratory that has no tolerance for error.
• A company as thorough as it is principled: dedication to the advancement of medical testing, industry-leading turnaround time, and world-class service
• Every sample we take and every report we relay is prepared with this end in mind: to provide our customers with the highest level of certainty possible.
• With a service-first mindset, specialized laboratory capabilities, and the agility to adapt as next-generation therapies evolve, Acutis stands at the Service of Science
• Additionally, building on our platform of advanced science and technology, we have introduced to healthcare professionals to Acutis Reveal™, molecular tests for infectious diseases
• These new tests offer physicians and clinicians a greater degree of certainty than any standard or traditional test can
• These new products offer further evidence of Acutis’ passion for innovative technologies and strategies
• Acutis conducts pioneering research for diagnostic services.
• We employ NGS, targeted PCR, LC-MS/MS, enhanced microbiology techniques and algorithm-based software to develop new diagnostic solutions.

Description

• Acutis, a leader in clinical laboratory industry, is building oncology molecular testing with a focus on next generation sequencing (NGS) for clinical trials as well as standard of care
• At this stage Acutis is looking for highly skilled NGS professionals at Principal Scientist, Senior Scientist or Associate Director level in the NJ location.

Responsibilities

• Following the directions from the NGS Head and management, develop, validate, qualify, and implement NGS tests for tumor FFPE tissues and cell-free DNA (cfDNA); somatic as well as germline gene alterations.
• Function as a SME for analytical method issues and perform the bench works
• Lead and participate in tech transfer of analytical methods.
• Contribute to method validation plan, and drafting testing protocol and standard operating procedure (SOP)
• Evaluate and implement applicable reference materials and assay QC parameters applicable to NGS, and apply the right assay orthogonal testing, e.g. PCR, ddPCR to verify a NGS assay
• Coordinate with Bioinformatics group, internally and externally, to process sequence data into reportable genetic calls
• Contribute to and draft assay validation reports, and prepare scientific presentations and deliver them to project teams and management
• Following assay validation, perform clinical sample testing.
• Align with department and corporate goals.
• Review and approve protocol/procedure deviation investigations, and work with QA representative to establish corrective action/preventive action (CAPA) plan
• Independently interpret data from performed experiments and consult with the NGS lead and management as needed
• Maintain excellent documentation of experiments and studies
• Troubleshoot and optimize assay performance in conjunction with the manager and peers.
• Report on project progress and present data effectively at team and management meetings
• Assist with lab organization and compliance with lab safety protocols
• Comply with the federal and local lab regulatory requirements including but not limited to CLIA, and follow applicable rules and guidelines.

Position Requirements

Required Education and Experience

• Ph.D. in Cell and/or Molecular Biology, Biophysics, Biochemistry, or a related discipline
• 3+ years of hands-on experience in NGS at a clinical lab, pharmaceutical company and/or academic institution
• Master’s degree with 7+ years of experience can be acceptable.
• Experience in NGS method development on Illumina TSO500 (preferred) or any other Illumina platforms, including library construction, sequencing, BI interpretation and reporting.
• Good experience in nucleic acid extraction from tissues as well as plasma, manually and via automated extraction
• Deep understanding of molecular biology and biochemical techniques relevant to assay development
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and willingness to collaborate cross-functionally in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Self-motivated, focused, organized, and thorough with attention to details
• Demonstrate independent reasoning and problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
• Efficient utilization of Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word and Outlook

Working with Seven Life Science:

We have been helping professionals find exciting new roles for almost a decade, so we know exactly where to look when it comes to sourcing the best opportunities. We operate across the UK, and, with over 300 five-star reviews, multiple awards and amazing relationships with the biggest employers in UK Life Science, we give you the best chance of landing your next role.

We have a reputation for recruiting at lightning speed, however, we can only respond to candidates who meet the exact requirements of the position. If you have any queries about a role or application, please visit our website where our amazing candidate support team will be more than happy to help.