Scientist, Cell Biology

Manifold Bio is a dynamic biotech company building a pipeline of targeted biologics using a novel in vivo-centric discovery approach. Our drug discovery engine is differentiated by massively parallel screening in vivo from the beginning of our discovery process. This unique platform is powered by a proprietary protein barcoding technology that allows multiplexed protein quantitation at unprecedented scale and sensitivity. We combine this and other high-throughput protein engineering approaches with computational design to create antibody-like drugs and other biologics. Our world-class team of protein engineers, biologists, and computational scientists are working together to aim the platform at therapeutic opportunities where precise targeting is the key to overcoming clinical challenges.

Position

Manifold Bio is seeking a creative and driven Cellular Biologist to join our in vitro biology team and help expand the frontiers of shuttle-enabled drug delivery. In this role, you will help establish a high-throughput cellular screening platform to evaluate shuttles and payloads-including antibodies and oligonucleotides-for selective engagement of brain-resident cell types such as neurons, astrocytes, and microglia. This position is central to advancing our internal therapeutic programs and to building a differentiated dataset to support partnering and platform expansion. You will work across diverse modalities and payloads, develop and implement robust in vitro assays to model key neurological disease biology, and generate data that directly impacts decision-making across cross-functional program teams. As a core member of the in vitro team, you will bring strong technical skills in cell biology and a collaborative mindset, playing a critical role in the development of Manifold's next generation of targeted biologics.

Responsibilities

• Establish and optimize in vitro culture systems to support cell-type-specific shuttle screening.
• Design and execute cellular assays to model neurological pathologies and enable therapeutic evaluation.
• Develop and implement an in vitro screening funnel to evaluate shuttle and payload function across a variety of modalities.
• Generate, interpret, and communicate high-quality, decision-enabling data to inform program strategy and therapeutic design.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to progress therapeutic programs.
• Maintain clear documentation, share findings in team meetings, and contribute to strategic discussions on program direction and platform development.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in a relevant field (neuroscience, immunology, or related discipline) and 2-3 years post-PhD experience, including experience in biotech/pharma drug discovery and development
• Strong background in cell culture, including a variety of neuronal cellular models, including human iPSC-derived cells and primary rodent cells
• Hands-on experience assessing protein expression at the single-cell level (ie flow cytometry)
• Experience with a variety of biochemical assays (including Western blot, ELISA, etc)
• Experience with RNA assays (ie RNA isolation, qRT-PCR)

Preferred Qualifications

• Protein expression by common transient transfection techniques
• Protein purification and basic characterization techniques
• Experience with gene silencing techniques (including siRNA, anti-sense oligonucleotides)
• Hands-on experience with cell line engineering, both knockdown and over-expression
• Experience with microscopy and imaging techniques
• Background in neurodegenerative diseases

This Role Might Be Perfect For You If

You are curious, and passionate about science and drug discovery and want to work with a fast-moving team that values scientific boldness and innovation. This role requires deep technical expertise combined with a willingness to work thoughtfully and quickly to solve scientific challenges in a collaborative manner. You value an experimental approach and generating high-quality data to empower rapid, data-driven decision-making, with a commitment to meet or beat critical deadlines. You should be a team player who is also proactive and resourceful.

We value different experiences and ways of thinking and believe the most talented teams are built by bringing together people of diverse cultures, genders, and backgrounds.