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What We're Building
At Medra, our mission is to use AI, robotics, and biology to accelerate life science research, with the ultimate goal of eradicating disease. We have been quietly building the foundational layers of our Physical AI Scientist platform:
🤖 Physical AI that can operate scientific instruments with human-level dexterity.
🧪 Scientific AI that can analyze results, reason about next steps, and close the loop autonomously.
This is an incredibly ambitious mission, but we believe that a team of ambitious people with high ownership can accomplish incredible things.
We're looking for a hands-on Research Technician to keep our autonomous platform running on nights and/or weekends. Our robots don't sleep, and this role is the human hands and eyes that keep our antibody screening workflow moving when the rest of the team is offline. You don't need to know every technique on day one — you need to be meticulous, dependable, and genuinely excited to learn the whole stack on the job.
What You'll Do
Run scheduled experiments, monitor automated runs in progress, and keep the platform loaded, supplied, and productive so it never sits idle
Support our antibody screening workflow end to end — construct prep and assembly PCR, protein production of VHH/scFv/Fc-fusion binders, bead-based cleanup, and column purification
Operate liquid handlers, magnetic particle processors (e.g., KingFisher), and plate-based workstations: load decks, launch methods, and recover from routine errors
Set up and monitor SPR/BLI kinetics and quantitation runs (e.g., Carterra, Gator), HPLC-based purity/analytical QC, and sample QC (e.g., NanoDrop), flagging off-spec results
Support mammalian cell culture (e.g., CHO) and cell-based assays — PD-L1 binding/blocking, flow cytometry sample prep — keeping cells and assay plates on schedule
Follow SOPs precisely, capture clean data and metadata, and package results so the platform and the day team can pick up seamlessly
Keep the lab shift-ready: restock consumables, manage sample chain-of-custody, follow BSL-2 and EHS practices, and leave clear handoff notes
What You Bring to the Team
Associate's or Bachelor's degree in a scientific field with hands-on lab experience
Some wet-lab experience and real comfort at the bench — careful pipetting, following protocols, and keeping rigorous records
Availability to work night and/or weekend shifts on a regular basis
Exceptional attention to detail and reliable follow-through; you run the same step the same way every time and notice when something looks off
A fast learner with a scrappy, can-do attitude who wants to master an unfamiliar, multi-step workflow rather than stay in one narrow task
Comfort working independently and troubleshooting calmly, with good judgment on when to escalate
Genuine enthusiasm for automation and robotics — you're excited to work alongside machines
Bonus Points For
Hands-on experience with any part of the antibody stack: protein expression, IMAC/affinity purification, HPLC, or biophysical binding assays (SPR/BLI)
Mammalian cell culture, cell-based assays, or flow cytometry experience
Experience operating liquid handlers, plate readers, or robotic workstations
Comfort with data tools or LIMS/ELN platforms (e.g., Benchling)
This position is 100% in-person; you must be able to come on-site to our San Francisco office.
What We Offer
An opportunity to change the way that scientific research happens
Fast-paced, creative, and collaborative work environment
Significant equity ownership
401k
Medical and dental insurance
Unlimited PTO
Weekday dinners
