When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you’re making a difference in people’s lives.
The Staff Scientist in the Biomarker Development Immunohistochemistry (IHC) Laboratory plays a critical role in the design, development, optimization, and validation of IHC assays to support translational research, biomarker discovery, and clinical trial initiatives. This position involves working closely with cross-functional teams, including pathology, bioinformatics, clinical operations, and regulatory affairs, to ensure scientific rigor, technical accuracy, and compliance with quality standards. The Staff Scientist will lead projects focused on novel biomarker identification and characterization, contribute to strategic planning for companion diagnostics, and provide technical leadership in troubleshooting and innovation within the IHC lab.
Key responsibilities include developing and optimizing IHC protocols, performing data analysis and interpretation, maintaining detailed documentation, and contributing to scientific publications and regulatory submissions. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in molecular biology, pathology, and immunohistochemistry, along with excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
In addition to PhD- trained scientists, this position may be filled by a foreign-trained Pathologist with advanced experience in diagnostic histopathology and immunohistochemistry. Such candidates must demonstrate competency in interpreting complex tumor histopathology and IHC staining patterns (Note: U.S. Licensure is not required – this role does not involve clinical sign—out)
Job Description:
The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required of this position.
Primary Responsibilities:
1. Plan, optimize, and validate clinical immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays to support pathology diagnostics.
2. Validate and implement FDA-approved predictive biomarker assays to inform patient treatment decisions.
3. Troubleshoot assay performance and instrumentation issues to minimize downtime, improve turnaround time, and uphold quality standards in a CAP-accredited laboratory.
4. Support the maintenance of key laboratory instrumentation – including but not limited to autostainers and tissue microarray (TMA) machines – in accordance with manufacturer specifications and regulatory requirements.
5. Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with vendors to assess new technologies and assays and negotiate cost-effective procurement.
6. Develop and maintain high-quality, sustainable on-slide controls to monitor day-to-day assay performance.
7. Mentor and guide laboratory staff on best practices in assay implementation, reagent quality control, instrumentation maintenance, and regulatory compliance.
8. Contribute to laboratory readiness for inspections and audits by drafting and updating standard operating procedures (SOPs) and related documentations, ensuring continuous compliance with CAP guidelines.
9. Partner with Board-Certified Pathologists to refine and validate biomarkers and companion diagnostic assays
Additional Responsibilities for MD-trained Pathologist candidates:
10. Interpret and evaluate immunohistochemical staining patterns in the context of complex tumor histopathology
11. Provide expert morphologic assessment of tumor samples, including recognition of rare or diagnostically challenging patterns relevant to biomarker development
12. Review assay performance from an interpretive perspective and recommend improvements to enhance diagnostic utility
Required Qualifications:
1. Doctoral degree required. Acceptable degrees include PhD or MD (For MD candidates, completion of a pathology residency or equivalent training is required. U.S. Licensure is not required)
2. 1+ years related work experience required and 0-1 years supervisory/management experience required
3. Ability to adapt work schedule in order to accommodate research, especially when monitoring sensitive experiments.
4. Advanced technical computer skills as required for technical support specific to functional area and related systems.
5. For MD Candidates: Demonstrated experience in tumor morphology and IHC interpretation is required
Preferred Qualifications:
1. Prior experience with laboratory techniques, computer analysis, creation and design of wet lab protocols and implementation of these experiments.
2. Experience in diagnostic histopathology, immunohistochemistry, or translational biomarker research
Competencies:
1. Decision Making: Ability to make decisions with significant, broad implications for the management and operations of a major department or multiple departments. Participates in decisions on overall strategy and direction of the organization.
2. Problem Solving: Ability to address problems that are broad, complex and abstract, often involving Medical Center-wide issues and requiring substantial creativity, resourcefulness, staff engagement, Lean diagnostic techniques, negotiation and diplomacy to develop solutions.
3. Independence of Action: Ability to set direction and vision for major departments or multiple departments. Establishes priorities, develops policies and allocates resources.
4. Written Communications: Ability to communicate complex information in English effectively in writing to all levels of staff, management and external customers across functional areas.
5. Oral Communications: Ability to verbally communicate complex concepts in English and address sensitive situations, resolve conflicts, negotiate, motivate and persuade others.
6. Knowledge: Ability to demonstrate broad and comprehensive knowledge of theories, concepts, practices and policies with the ability to use them in complex and/or unprecedented situations across multiple functional areas.
7. Team Work: Ability to lead and direct multiple collaborative teams for large projects or groups both internal and external to the Medical Center and across functional areas. Results have significant implications for the management and operations of the organization.
8. Customer Service: Ability to lead operational initiatives to meet or exceed customer service standards and expectations in assigned unit(s) and/or across multiple areas in a timely and respectful manner.
Social/Environmental Requirements:
1. Work requires periods of close attention to work with out interruption. Concentrated effort of up to 4 hours without break may be required.
2. Work is varied every day and the employee needs to be adaptable to respond to these changes and use independent judgment and manage priorities.
3. Potential exposure to adverse environmental conditions
Daily: Exposure to dust,gas,fumes,steam,chemicals, Potential exposure to infectious diseases and/or airborne pathogens, Potential exposure to infectious diseases and/or bloodborne pathogens.
4. Health Care Status: NHCW: No patient contact.- Health Care Worker Status may vary by department.
Pay Range:
$115,000.00 USD – $155,000.00 USD
The pay range listed for this position is the annual base salary range the organization reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for this position at this time. Actual compensation is determined based on several factors, that may include seniority, education, training, relevant experience, relevant certifications, geography of work location, job responsibilities, or other applicable factors permissible by law.
