Associate Scientist R&D

NateraSouth San FranciscoPosted July 16, 2026

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About this role

Natera is seeking a skilled and motivated Associate Scientist to join the R&D Platform team, focusing on building scalable assays to advance our product portfolio. The ideal candidate will possess hands-on experience with NGS technologies and automated platforms. Candidates will apply their expertise to assess new scientific opportunities and contribute to developing state-of-the-art genomic tests for oncology treatment and monitoring applications.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Independently design experimental plans and execute laboratory experiments of a defined scope such as analyte extractions, next-generation library preparation, hybrid capture and sequencing.

• Collaborate with project teams to design, develop, and validate assays for commercial launch.

• Contribute insights toward experimental findings and troubleshoot laboratory processes and protocols.

• Perform basic data analysis.

• Communicate and discuss results with a multidisciplinary team including biologists, bioinformaticians, statisticians, software engineers and managers.

• Document protocols, SOPs, and scientific reports under a Quality Management System.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, or closely related field with 4-6 years experience in assay development for the life science industry.

• Master’s in molecular biology, biochemistry or closely related field, with 2+ years of industry experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Expertise in next-generation sequencing (NGS) and DNA/RNA molecular biology, including DNA/RNA extraction from tissue and biofluids, library preparation, hybrid capture, qPCR, and multiplex PCR.

• Proficiency in basic data and statistical analysis using tools such as R, JMP, or Excel.

• Demonstrated success in applying independent scientific judgment in experimental design and analysis.

• Experience in optimizing laboratory methodologies and troubleshooting complex problems.

• Strong communication, organizational, record-keeping, planning, and time management skills.

• Must be able to handle manual work/pipetting involving high throughput sample testing.

• Experience in writing clear plans, reports and SOPs.

• Experience in oncology, solid tumor and liquid biopsy, transplant, or NIPT research is a plus.

• Experience in programming and operating liquid handlers is a plus.

• Experience in programming languages such as python or R is a plus.

Compensation & Total Rewards

This range reflects a good-faith estimate of the base pay we reasonably expect to offer at the time of hire. Final compensation will vary based on experience, qualifications, and internal equity considerations.

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