---
title: 'Staff Scientist, Surface Chemistry at Element Biosciences'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/staff-scientist-surface-chemistry-element-biosciences-san-diego-rmzyrs35pha9'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-14'
---

# Staff Scientist, Surface Chemistry at Element Biosciences

- **Company:** Element Biosciences
- **Location:** San Diego, CA
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-04-17
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-14
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences/jobs/5973058004

## Job description

At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

We are seeking a highly motivated Staff Scientist to join our surface chemistry team and provide scientific leadership in the development of innovative new products in the field of next-generation sequencing and multiomics applications. In this role, you will lead execution across multiple projects, drive innovation through original ideas and thought leadership, and serve as a key scientific collaborator across functions to translate research concepts into robust, manufacturable products. This role will report to the Director, Surface Chemistry and will be a San Diego based role.

If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

- Design, develop, and evaluate novel surface chemistry approaches to enable next-generation sequencing/multiomics applications
- Design and evaluate novel surface chemistry solutions on microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices, with a strong understanding of how device geometry and flow conditions influence surface performance and assay outcomes
- Define and lead product development efforts, including experimental design, prototyping, functional testing, and data analysis
- Troubleshoot performance issues related to surface fouling, non-specific binding, or cell compatibility
- Identify and resolve experimental challenges related to assay design, protocol execution, reagent selection, and surface performance
- Support the transfer of surface chemistry solutions from research into product development and manufacturing, in collaboration with process development and operations teams
- Maintain hands-on scientific leadership, setting the direction for laboratory experimentation and troubleshooting while mentoring junior scientists and guiding their technical development
- Contribute innovative ideas and technical insight to early-stage concept development and feasibility assessments
- Contribute technical expertise to invention disclosures and patent applications in collaboration with the IP legal team and senior technical leadership
- Collaborate effectively with colleagues in product management, assay development, engineering, and manufacturing to ensure alignment and successful execution
- Prepare and deliver high-quality technical reports and presentations that summarize findings, support decision-making, and document development progress

Education and Experience:

- PhD in chemistry, materials science, biochemistry, bioengineering, physics, or a related field
- 6+ years of relevant industry experience in surface chemistry, materials science, or biomolecular interfaces in life sciences or diagnostics
- Strong publication and presentation record, with contributions to patents or novel methods
- Deep expertise in surface chemistry, polymer chemistry and biomolecule–surface interactions is required
- Background in NGS, genomics, proteomics or multiomics platforms is required
- Familiarity with microfluidic device design principles and an understanding of how channel geometry, surface-to-volume ratios, and flow dynamics influence surface chemistry performance and assay outcomes; experience with device fabrication (e.g., soft lithography, PDMS) or working with commercial lab-on-chip platforms is preferred
- Familiarity with surface analytical techniques such as AFM, ellipsometry, FTIR, SEM, TOF-SIMS, and XPS are preferred
- Familiarity with manufacturing constraints, process transfer or scale-up
- Operate with a high degree of independence in experimental planning, execution, and data interpretation, requiring minimal day-to-day supervision
- Apply strong scientific judgment to extrapolate from existing expertise and address novel or ambiguous technical challenges
- Proactively identify risks, knowledge gaps, and opportunities, and propose data-driven paths forward that shape project scope and organizational priorities
- Communicate with clarity and purpose across disciplines, enabling alignment, informed decisions, and efficient collaboration

Physical Requirements:

- Ability to lift up to 20 pounds
- The position requires physical activity and the handling of chemicals. Candidates are required to follow the safety protocols and be familiar with personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in the laboratory environment

Location:

- San Diego (on-site)

Travel:

- Up to 5%

Job Type:

- Full-time, Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

- $158,000 - $197,000

In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off.

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience.

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.

## About Element Biosciences

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Element Biosciences develops affordable, high-quality DNA sequencing and multiomics platforms to democratize access to advanced biological analysis.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series E)
- **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Three scientists (names not publicly listed in detail, but described as industry veterans)

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Genomics, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Multiomics
- Target customers: Research laboratories (academic, government, and biopharma), clinical researchers, and diagnostic developers (B2B, primarily research and clinical segments)
- Mission or purpose statement: “To empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity, and open the world of biology to new possibilities.” [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)

## Products & Services
- **[AVITI™ System]**: A benchtop DNA sequencing system that delivers high-quality, affordable sequencing (the company announced a $200 genome). Uses proprietary Avidity™ chemistry.
- **[AVITI24™]**: A 5D multiomics system launched in April 2024 that provides subcellular spatial co-detection of RNA, protein, and morphology on a single integrated platform, with no library prep required. Powered by ABC Sequencing.
- **[VITARI™]**: A new platform/product line announced for scaling without the premium price (details emerging).
- **Reagent & Consumables**: Proprietary reagents with a price guarantee for the lifetime of the AVITI system.
- **Loop Genomics Acquisition**: Integrated long-read sequencing capabilities via the 2022 acquisition of Loop Genomics.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company). Total known funding exceeds $553M across multiple rounds.
- **Key Metric (Total Funding)**: $277M in Series D (led by Wellington Management), $276M in Series C, plus Series A & B from Foresite Capital and Venrock. An upsized Series E was announced in 2026 to accelerate global growth. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Wellington Management, Foresite Capital, Venrock. Global distribution partners signed in 2023. Nearly 30 unique patents.
- **Growth Signals**:
    - Customer base spanning 40+ countries.
    - Technology used in 400+ publications.
    - Achieved ISO 13485 certification (June 2026), establishing a quality foundation for diagnostic applications.
    - Opened new headquarters at the Alexandria Tech Center in San Diego.
    - Upsized Series E financing in 2026 to expand genomic, multiomic, and clinical research solutions.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Cost Disruption**: The company’s core differentiator is making high-quality sequencing affordable (e.g., the $200 genome) and accessible to labs of all sizes, challenging incumbents like Illumina.
- **Integrated Multiomics**: The AVITI24 platform is a first-of-its-kind 5D system that combines sequencing with spatial protein and RNA detection in a single workflow, eliminating the need for library prep.
- **Reagent Price Guarantee**: A lifetime reagent price guarantee on the AVITI system provides cost predictability for customers.
- **Founding Team & IP**: Founded by industry veterans with deep domain expertise, supported by a strong patent portfolio (30 patents).

## Strategic Focus
- **Global Commercial Expansion**: Scaling sales and support infrastructure across 40+ countries, with specific focus on APJ and EMEA regions (as seen in job postings for Field Applications Scientists and Territory Managers in those regions).
- **Clinical & Diagnostic Entry**: Leveraging ISO 13485 certification to move into regulated diagnostic applications.
- **Ecosystem Expansion**: Building out the AVITI24 multiomics platform and the VITARI scaling platform to capture a broader share of the multiomics and clinical research markets.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Actively hiring across R&D, Commercial, Operations, and Quality functions to support rapid growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Values**: The company emphasizes five core values: “We Disrupt the Norm,” “We Lead with Respect,” “We Overcome Challenges with Grit,” “We Own Our Success and Failures,” and “We Embrace Authenticity.” They describe a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration.
- **Compensation & Benefits**:
    - 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage.
    - Premier mental health care (Spring Health partnership).
    - $10,000 fertility benefit.
    - Paid parental leave.
    - 401(k) match and stock options.
    - Paid flexible time off (FTO) for both exempt and non-exempt employees.
    - Free access to local Alexandria EXOS gyms.
    - Pet insurance and identity theft protection.
- **Work Model**: Roles range from onsite (San Diego HQ) to fully remote (APJ, Canada, France). The company has a paid, 10-week onsite summer internship program with a 4.86/5 intern satisfaction rating.
- **Growth Opportunity**: Joining a fast-growing, well-funded private company at a pivotal moment of commercial scaling and product expansion, with a mission-driven focus on accelerating science.

## Sources
1. [elementbiosciences.com](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/)
2. [elementbiosciences.com/about](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/about)
3. [elementbiosciences.com/careers](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/careers)
4. [job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/elementbiosciences)
5. [elementbiosciences.com/careers/openings](https://www.elementbiosciences.com/careers/openings)

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