Summary:

Vaxcyte is looking for an Associate Scientist I (Contract) who will contribute to the research and development of a novel bacterial polysaccharide conjugate vaccine. Specifically, this will include upstream bacterial culture, downstream polysaccharide purification and processing, and analytical characterization of polysaccharides and polysaccharide-protein conjugates. The ideal candidate will have an excellent understanding of bioreactors, Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) aseptic cell culture, column chromatography, tangential flow filtration, related analytical chemistry principles, and significant laboratory experience. The successful candidate will be expected to independently execute laboratory experiments following established protocols and standard operating procedures. The candidate will also contribute when needed to a range of related areas, such as analytical development and stability studies. Responsibilities will also include record management, presenting data at group meetings, and contributing to the authorship of laboratory protocols and development reports.

Essential Functions:

• Set up, optimize, and troubleshoot upstream BSL-2 level pathogenic bacterial culture using different scales of the Sartorius bioreactor systems and shake flasks.
• Maintain and expand bacterial cell bank, perform buffer preparation, and conduct routine instrument maintenance.
• Purify and process polysaccharides using a variety of methods, including organic solvent extraction, acid boil, dialysis, FPLC chromatography, tangential flow filtration (TFF), and microfluidizer.
• Actively contribute to designing and developing new protocols, assays, and laboratory procedures from first principles to compare different activation chemistries for polysaccharides and their effects on the conjugation process.
• Analyze polysaccharides and conjugates with methods including colorimetric assays, HPLC assays, and SEC-MALS.
• Collect, maintain highly organized data records, and ensure the accuracy and integrity of Benchling entries.
• Attend team meetings ready to provide updates on development progress.
• Be an outstanding teammate and collaborate across groups, both internal and external to Vaxcyte.
• Cultivate a cohesive, innovative, and productive team environment.

Requirements: 

• BS. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field with minimum 1 year of industry experience, or B.S. with 2+ internships or related laboratory experiences.
• Hands-on experience with laboratory-scale fermentation techniques, including shake flasks and bioreactors, is required.
• Demonstrate proficiency in fundamental laboratory techniques, including aseptic sample handling, precision pipetting, SDS-PAGE, and Western blotting, is required.
• Experience in purification methods such as dialysis, diafiltration, size-exclusion chromatography, and tangential flow filtration (TFF) is highly desirable.
• Experience in analytical methods, including colorimetric assays, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), SDS-PAGE, and Western blotting for characterization of reaction products, is a plus.
• Attention to detail and excellent organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in written formats.
• Self-starter: ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and collaborate effectively with other team members.
• Enthusiasm to learn the new skills and techniques necessary to tackle problems outside of the current area of expertise.