---
title: 'Research Specialist / Scientist, Assay Development at Altos Labs'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/research-specialist-scientist-assay-development-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-mh03x0h22xn9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# Research Specialist / Scientist, Assay Development at Altos Labs

- **Company:** Altos Labs
- **Location:** San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-07-28
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/altoslabs/jobs/6128837004

## Job description

## Our Mission

Our mission is to restore cell health and resilience through cell rejuvenation to reverse disease, injury, and the disabilities that can occur throughout life.

For more information, see our website at [altoslabs.com.](https://altoslabs.com/)

Our Value

Our Single Altos Value: Everyone Owns Achieving Our Inspiring Mission.

Diversity at Altos

Altos Labs has been named one of the Top 3 Biotech Companies and ranked for the second year on the Forbes 2026 Best Startups in America list.  At Altos, exceptional scientists and industry leaders from around the world work together to advance a shared mission. Our intentional focus is on Belonging, so that all employees know that they are valued for their unique perspectives. We are all accountable for sustaining a diverse and inclusive environment.

## What You Will Contribute To Altos

An exciting opportunity is available for a Research Specialist / Scientist to join the In Vivo Translational Sciences (IVTS) team within the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at Altos Labs. We are seeking a highly skilled, self-motivated and talented individual to generate decisional data by designing and executing ex vivo assays. The ideal candidate will bring extensive knowledge of a wide variety of in vitro and ex vivo assay methodologies and a track record of successful scientific impact in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry with demonstrated experience completing high throughput, time-sensitive assays while maintaining data quality and reproducibility.

You will be responsible for working with researchers within IVTS to develop and execute assays to characterize biomarkers and evaluate therapeutic targets. The ideal candidate brings strong conceptual and technical grounding in assay design, lead screening, and pharmacological characterization. This includes proven competency in tissue processing, assay development, optimization, dilution testing, control validation, protocol validation, managing timelines, and coordinating with cross-functional teams to achieve milestones and deliverables.

We expect you to have a strong commitment to a team-based approach, with an emphasis on collaborative success and open communication. The ideal candidate should see themselves as an integral part of a larger team, actively contributing to a supportive and inclusive environment, sharing knowledge, and working together to overcome challenges and achieve collective goals.

## Responsibilities

- Execute ex vivo assays on diverse tissues collected from in vivo studies, perform analyses, and report results.
- Support ex vivo biological analysis (e.g., biomarker discovery) in collaboration with other IVTS scientists, Altos Hubs and cross-functional teams.
- Evaluate and implement new technologies and platforms to enhance the efficiency and quality of studies.
- Maintain detailed documentation of all studies in an electronic lab notebook to ensure data integrity and traceability.
- Collaborate effectively with the in vivo operation teams to enable execution of high quality in vivo studies.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Discovery Sciences, in vitro Pharmacology, Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, etc. to support the development and progression of therapeutic programs.
- Contribute to a team culture that promotes continuous improvement, ownership, professional growth, and inclusion.
- The responsibilities of this role are expected to require ~80% of time dedicated to benchtop science.

## Who You Are

## Minimum Qualifications

- Research Specialist experience requirements: Bachelors or Masters degree and 8+ years of industry experience.
- Scientist experience requirements: PhD in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology or related field, with at least 4 years relevant industry experience
- Extensive experience designing and executing biochemical and biophysical assays, including:
- Enzymatic assays, ELISAs, MSD, AlphaLISA, Western Blots, qPCR and ddPCR
- Assays for target engagement studies across diverse tissue and biofluid matrices
- Extensive experience with tissue processing methods, including extraction, quantification and QC of nucleic acids and proteins
- Demonstrated ability to design and troubleshoot assays to support diverse therapeutic modalities (e.g., small molecules, biologics, gene therapies)
- Strong record of scientific productivity and the ability to independently design rigorous, reproducible, and generalizable experiments
- Proficient in documenting and communicating results clearly (e.g., ELN, slide decks, team presentations)
- Strong collaboration and communication skills; ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams

## Preferred Qualifications

- Strong conceptual grounding in pharmacological characterization
- Experience with high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms and assay miniaturization
- Experience with microscopy and high content imaging
- Experience with flow cytometry
- Experience with immunoprecipitation assays
- Experience working on cellular or animal models relevant to age-related diseases (e.g., metabolic, neurodegenerative, immune-related, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal)

The salary range for Redwood City, CA:

- Research Specialist: $129,500 - $166,000
- Scientist I, Pharmacology: $131,400 - $168,400
- Scientist II, Pharmacology: $148,400 - $190,300

Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

## #LI-NN1

For UK applicants, before submitting your application:

- Please click here to read the Altos Labs EU and UK Applicant Privacy Notice ([bit.ly/eu_uk_privacy_notice](https://bit.ly/eu_uk_privacy_notice))
- This Privacy Notice is not a contract, express or implied and it does not set terms or conditions of employment.

## Equal Opportunity Employment

We value collaboration and scientific excellence.

We believe that a culture of belonging are foundational to scientific innovation and inquiry. At Altos Labs, exceptional scientists and industry leaders from around the world work together to advance a shared mission. Our intentional focus is on Belonging, so that all employees know that they are valued for their unique perspectives. We are all accountable for sustaining an inclusive environment.

Altos Labs provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Altos prohibits unlawful discrimination and harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Thank you for your interest in Altos Labs where we strive for a culture of scientific excellence, learning, and belonging.

Note: Altos Labs will not ask you to download a messaging app for an interview or outlay your own money to get started as an employee. If this sounds like your interaction with people claiming to be with Altos, it is not legitimate and has nothing to do with Altos. Learn more about a common job scam at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-spot-avoid-online-job-scams-biron-clark/

## About Altos Labs

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Altos Labs is a biotechnology company pioneering cellular rejuvenation programming to reverse disease, injury, and disabilities by restoring cell health and resilience.
- **Entity Type**: Private (believed to be well-funded by high-profile investors including Jeff Bezos and Yuri Milner; no public funding rounds listed)
- **Headquarters**: San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA (also major sites in San Diego, CA and Cambridge, UK)
- **Founded**: 2021 (publicly launched in January 2022)
- **Founders**: Hal Barron (CEO), Hans Bishop (President), Rick Klausner (Chief Scientific Advisor)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Biotechnology / Longevity & Cell Rejuvenation / Drug Discovery
- **Target customers**: B2B/Institutional (partners, academic collaborators); ultimate end-users are patients with age-related diseases
- **Mission statement**: “To restore cell health and resilience through cell rejuvenation to reverse disease, injury and the disabilities that can occur throughout life.”

## Products & Services
Currently in the research and preclinical/early clinical stage. No marketed products yet. Major initiatives include:

- **[Cell Rejuvenation Programming Platform]**: Proprietary technology based on partial cellular reprogramming (building on Yamanaka factors and Belmonte lab discoveries) to reset epigenetic age and restore cell function.
- **[Institute of Computation]**: Developing multi-scale generative AI models to decode the “language of cell health” and accelerate discovery of rejuvenation-based therapies.
- **[Institute of Medicine]**: Translational arm focused on converting fundamental biology into potential breakthrough medicines for age-related diseases.
- **[Discovery Engine]**: Integrated platform combining experimental biology, high-quality internal data generation, and computational modeling to identify novel targets and therapies.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed; widely reported to have raised over **$3 billion** in initial financing (one of the largest biotech startup financings ever). Investors include Jeff Bezos, Yuri Milner, and others.
- **Key Metric**: **$3+ billion total funding** (reported launch round)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Jeff Bezos (via Bezos Expeditions), Yuri Milner (via DST Global), and other undisclosed high-net-worth individuals; partnerships with leading academic institutions including the Salk Institute and Cambridge University.
- **Growth Signals**: Rapidly scaling headcount (26 open roles listed on Greenhouse as of mid-2026); expansion of computational and AI teams; launched Institute of Computation; appointed Joan Mannick (M.D.) as Chief Medical Officer in 2025 to lead early clinical development.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Massive capital base**: Over $3 billion in funding provides long runway for high-risk, long-horizon science.
- **World-class scientific leadership**: CEO Hal Barron (ex-GSK, ex-Roche), President Hans Bishop (ex-Juno Therapeutics), Chief Scientific Advisor Rick Klausner, and founding scientist Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte (pioneer of partial reprogramming).
- **“Academic freedom meets industry focus” model**: Combines the freedom of academic inquiry with the discipline and resources of a biotech company.
- **AI-first approach**: Dedicated Institute of Computation with a focus on generative AI and foundational models for biology, differentiating from traditional drug discovery.
- **Multi-site global footprint**: Operations spanning US (Bay Area, San Diego) and UK (Cambridge) attract top talent from both sides of the Atlantic.

## Strategic Focus
- **Near-term**: Advancing first therapeutic programs into clinical trials; building out the Institute of Computation and AI models; scaling drug discovery and development capabilities.
- **Long-term**: Transform medicine by developing therapies that address the root cause of disease—cellular aging—rather than just symptoms.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Focus on a single, ambitious goal—reversing disease through cell rejuvenation—unites the organization.
- **Unique work model**: Blends academic freedom (pursue deep questions, publish, collaborate openly) with industry urgency (focus on medicines, milestones, patient impact).
- **Computational focus**: Heavy investment in AI/ML (machine learning scientists, AI engineers, computational biology) makes it appealing for those interested in the intersection of tech and biology.
- **Work environment**: Collaborative, interdisciplinary, and global; values diverse perspectives. Described as “a unique and inspiring place to work” with “many ways to contribute to our mission.”
- **Currently hiring across multiple disciplines**: Discovery Science, Drug Development, Computation, Technology, and Operations—with roles in San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Cambridge, UK.
- **Perks/culture highlights**: Not explicitly detailed on careers page, but the emphasis on “freedom to collaborate broadly” and “big questions” suggests a high-autonomy, high-trust environment.

### Company Website & Careers
1. [altoslabs.com](https://www.altoslabs.com/) – Official company site (overview, science, about, careers)
2. [altoslabs.com/careers](https://www.altoslabs.com/careers) – Careers page (mission, culture, job listings)
3. [altoslabs.com/about](https://www.altoslabs.com/about) – About page (leadership, institutes, model)
4. [altoslabs.com/science](https://www.altoslabs.com/science) – Science page (founding science, partial reprogramming)

### Job Board
5. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/altoslabs](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/altoslabs) – Greenhouse job board (26 open positions as of mid-2026)

## Other roles at Altos Labs

- [Scientist / Senior Scientist, Structural Cell Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-senior-scientist-structural-cell-biology-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-2as6grjx00j9) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Neuroscience Research Associate / Research Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/neuroscience-research-associate-research-specialist-altos-labs-san-francisco-r0jg5an2qvkn) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Scientist, Neurodegeneration](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-neurodegeneration-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-area-ptan9vfe9dfh) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Senior Research Associate, Drug Discovery](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-research-associate-drug-discovery-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-area-es0k39mddn6n) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Director /  Senior Director, Machine Learning for Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/director-senior-director-machine-learning-for-biology-altos-labs-san-diego-tav9vfz1h2qf) — San Diego, CA / San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Scientist I, Disease Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-i-disease-biology-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-area-et5derm8tk55) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Research Specialist / Scientist, Metabolic Phenotyping (In Vitro & In Vivo)](https://feeny.ai/job/research-specialist-scientist-metabolic-phenotyping-in-vitro-in-vivo-altos-labs-5t2sm6dhx8vq) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Scientist, In Vivo Biology](https://feeny.ai/job/scientist-in-vivo-biology-altos-labs-san-diego-knkjj1wwr991) — San Diego, CA
- [Business and Laboratory Operations Manager, Drug Discovery & Development Sciences](https://feeny.ai/job/business-and-laboratory-operations-manager-drug-discovery-development-sciences-ndphgkvmg07w) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA
- [Senior Counsel II / Corporate Counsel, Transactions](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-counsel-ii-corporate-counsel-transactions-altos-labs-san-francisco-bay-z6yn7t54afpe) — San Francisco Bay Area, CA