Senior Research Associate, Lipid Nanoparticle Formulation

Yoh is seeking a hands-on Research Associate or Senior Research Associate to join our client’s Deliver Sciences team developing next-generation lipid nanoparticle delivery systems for nucleic acid-based therapeutics.

This is an opportunity to work on challenging formulation problems at the intersection of Lipid Nanoparticle engineering, nucleic acid delivery, process development, and translational research. The team is looking for someone who has meaningful industry experience developing LNPs and who can contribute to formulation design, optimization, scale-up, characterization, and troubleshooting.

The strongest candidates will bring practical experience understanding how changes in lipid composition, formulation parameters, and downstream processing influence particle properties, stability, biological performance, and in vivo behavior.

Location: South San Francisco, CA
Compensation: $42-$60/hour (based upon level and experience)
Type: Full Time (3+ month contract with potential for extension or conversion to permanent based on performance)

Responsibilities:

• Design, prepare, and optimize LNP formulations for nucleic acid delivery.
• Evaluate and optimize formulation parameters, lipid composition, particle properties, and process conditions.
• Scale LNP formulations from research-scale experiments toward larger preclinical production needs.
• Perform downstream processing and purification using techniques such as TFF, dialysis, ultracentrifugation, and sterile filtration.
• Characterize LNPs using techniques such as DLS, chromatography, nucleic acid analysis, osmolality, MALS, ELISA, and fluorescence-based assays.
• Investigate relationships between formulation composition, physicochemical properties, stability, potency, biodistribution, and tolerability.
• Troubleshoot formulation and process-development challenges using strong scientific judgment and mechanistic reasoning.
• Support development of robust, reproducible formulation and analytical workflows.
• Collaborate with research, preclinical, and development teams to support program advancement.
• Analyze experimental data, communicate conclusions, and recommend next steps.
• Maintain accurate experimental documentation in an electronic laboratory notebook.

Qualifications:
Senior Research Associate

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, chemical engineering, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, or a related discipline.
• At least 2 years of industry experience directly supporting LNP or targeted-LNP research and development.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with LNP formulation, optimization, and scale-up.
• Experience developing or evaluating multiple LNP compositions rather than only executing established formulations.

Research Associate

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant scientific discipline.
• At least 1 year of industry experience working directly with LNP formulation or development.

Technical Experience:
Ideal candidates will have experience in several of the following areas:

• Microfluidic or other LNP mixing technologies
• Optimization of lipid composition and formulation parameters
• LNP scale-up and process development
• TFF, dialysis, sterile filtration, or other downstream purification methods
• DLS, particle size, PDI, and surface-charge analysis
• Encapsulation-efficiency assays
• RNA integrity and degradation analysis
• Lipid characterization using HPLC, UPLC, LC-UV, LC-CAD, or related methods
• Fragment analysis, capillary electrophoresis, MALS, or osmolality
• LNP stability and degradation studies
• Preclinical formulation support
• Targeted LNPs, bioconjugation, surface modification, or ligand-based delivery approaches

What’s In It for You?
We welcome you to be a part of the largest and legendary global staffing companies to meet your career aspirations. Yoh’s network of client companies has been employing professionals like you for over 65 years in the U.S., UK and Canada. Join Yoh’s extensive talent community that will provide you with access to Yoh’s vast network of opportunities and gain access to this exclusive opportunity available to you. Benefit eligibility is in accordance with applicable laws and client requirements. Benefits include:

• Medical, Prescription, Dental & Vision Benefits (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Health Savings Account (HSA) (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• Life & Disability Insurance (for employees working 20+ hours per week)
• MetLife Voluntary Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401K Retirement Savings Plan
• Direct Deposit & weekly epayroll
• Referral Bonus Programs
• Certification and training opportunities

Note: Any pay ranges displayed are estimations. Actual pay is determined by an applicant's experience, technical expertise, and other qualifications as listed in the job description. All qualified applicants are welcome to apply.

Yoh, a Day & Zimmermann company, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Visit https://www.yoh.com/applicants-with-disabilities to contact us if you are an individual with a disability and require accommodation in the application process.

For California applicants, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. All of the material job duties described in this posting are job duties for which a criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment.

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