Senior Research Associate In-vivo (Ocular)

The Senior Research Associate will be responsible for overseeing and performing in vivo studies to support the ocular therapeutic area and all the therapeutic areas of the translational team.

• Perform Ocular in vivo studies to support in support of Spark pipeline.
• Perform Intravitreal/Subretinal injections, monitor animal health, collect blood samples, perform necropsies and record data for mouse studies, other species as needed.
• Perform Electroretinography, OCT and OKR monitoring in rodents.
• Maintain rodent breeding colonies.
• Perform IV/IP/PO/SC injections in mice and rats.
• General supplies and reagent ordering.
• Interact with ocular scientists and provide constant feedback.
• Work crossfunctionally with CNS, and liver teams and provide support to other R&D in vivo as needed.
• Schedule and follow multiple concurrent studies according to the experimental design.
• Interact with scientists of different therapeutic areas and provide constant feedback.

Responsibilities
Perform Ocular in vivo experiments in laboratory animals according to applicable regulations; studies will utilize mice and also rats, rabbits and other species, as needed
Train and assist technical staff in the performance of in vivo experiments to support ocular and other therapeutic areas.
Responsible for all safety aspects and best practices, and employee training.
Ensure departmental goals and objectives are met and aligned to the broader organizational goals and objectives.
Prioritize and plan projects and workloads, manage resources and personnel scheduling. Write and review animal protocols for IACUC approval
Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree/MS in relevant field required and 5+ years of hands on experience with rodents.
• Advanced skills on handling, restraining, dosing and performing a variety of procedures on study animals required.
• Ability to manage large mouse colonies required.
• Excellent organizational, communication and collaborations skills.
• Keep accurate records, follow instructions and comply with company policies.
• Experience with AAV vectors is a plus.

Key Skills, Abilities, and Competencies

• Strong organizational skills.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency

Complexity and Problem Solving

• Demonstrate independent problem solving skills of technical issues; develop solutions to a variety of moderate to complex problems; Discuss with supervisor and refer to policies/practices for guidance.
• Must be comfortable in the fast-paced, biotech start-up environment and interact with multi-disciplinary research teams at Spark.
• Exercise judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action.

Internal and External Contacts
Quality Assurance, Clinical Operations, Pharm/Tox, Discovery, Assay Validation, R&D Operations, Technical Operations, Regulatory Affairs
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Please be aware that Spark mandates COVID-19 vaccination of all employees regardless of work location. Accommodations may be made in accordance with applicable law.

Nearest Major Market: Philadelphia

Join the Spark Team

We were born of innovation, springing from the curiosity, imagination and dedication of remarkable scientists and healthcare visionaries. Our shared mission is to challenge the inevitability of genetic disease by discovering, developing, and delivering treatments in ways unimaginable - until now.

We don't follow footsteps. We create the path.