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Scientist – Cell Culture / Automation

ThermoFisher Scientific

San Diego, CAFull-time$35–38.1/hrSeen 2 days agoSeen in employer's feed 2 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$35–38.1/hr
Location
San Diego, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Job overview

The Scientist – Cell Culture / Automation supports early lead discovery programs through cell culture and automated cell-based assays at a customer site in San Diego. The role involves setting up and monitoring experiments, communicating assay observations and results, and improving workflow efficiency. The position is fully onsite, full-time, and requires U.S. work authorization without sponsorship. A bachelor’s degree with comparable experience or a master’s degree is listed as an education path.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Cell CultureLiquid Handling EquipmentPlate Handling AutomationAutomation InstrumentationHigh-Throughput ScreeningSelf-MotivationAttention to DetailMultitaskingFollowing DirectionsCritical ThinkingTroubleshootingOrganizationCommunicationInterpersonal SkillsCustomer ServiceFlexibilityIndependent WorkTeamworkMicrosoft OfficeLearning Software and HardwareWorking Under PressurePrioritizationLifting 25 Pounds

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Lab Sciences or SimilarMaster's Degree or Equivalent2+ Years' ExperienceU.S. Work Authorization Without SponsorshipBackground Check and Drug Screening

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance

Full job description

Work Schedule

First Shift (Days)

Environmental Conditions

Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards, Laboratory Setting

Job Description

Scientist – Cell Culture / Automation

Shift: Full-Time; Monday – Friday; 8am-5pm PST

ONSITE:

This is a fully onsite role based at our customer’s site in (San Diego, CA). We welcome applicants from all locations within the US. Please note that relocation assistance is not provided for this position, and any relocation costs will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Must be able to pass a comprehensive background check, which includes a drug screening.

At Thermo Fisher Scientific, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life - enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while taking science a step beyond through research, development and delivery of life-changing therapies. With clinical trials conducted in 100+ countries and ongoing development of novel frameworks for clinical research through our PPD clinical research portfolio, our work spans laboratory, digital and decentralized clinical trial services. Your determination to deliver quality and accuracy will improve health outcomes that people and communities depend on – now and in the future.

Thermo Fisher's clinical research business is a leading global contract research organization and world leader in serving science. We are passionate, deliberate, and driven by our mission – to enable our customers to make the world healthier, safer, and cleaner.

Our Laboratories Functional Service Partnership (FSP) team plays a direct role in advancing drug development by creating sustained groups of talent within our customers’ organizations to provide long-term support. Through this collaborative approach, our professionals bring their commitment to excellence, industry knowledge, and operational strength directly into customer environments, helping to enhance capabilities and advance the delivery of life-changing therapies.

Key responsibilities:

  • Perform cell thaws and maintain cell culture for assay workflows.

  • Conduct automated cell-based assays in support of early lead discovery programs.

  • Setup and monitor automated experiments and elevate observations and trends in assay performance to leadership.

  • Clearly communicate scientific ideas and results across a broad range of audiences.

  • Identify and implement opportunities to improve workflow efficiency.

Education and Experience:

  • Bachelor's degree in lab sciences such as Chemistry, Biochemistry, Material Science, Immunology, Biology, Molecular Biology or similar

  • Scientist: Previous experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job (comparable to 2+ years’)

  • OR Masters degree

In some cases, an equivalency, consisting of a combination of appropriate education, training and/or directly related experience, will be considered sufficient for an individual to meet the requirements of the role.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Demonstrated experience with cell culture for a diversity of cell types (hEK, CHO, iPSC cells, and primary cells). Experience with large scale, multiple workflows, and/or bioreactors is preferred.

  • Experience with liquid handling equipment and general plate handling automation preferred

  • Demonstrated experience in the use of automation and HTS instrumentation

  • The successful candidate will be a self-motivated, detail oriented individual able to multitask and follow directions

  • Critical thinking and the ability to learn and apply troubleshooting techniques for automation is key

  • Demonstrated strong organization, communication and interpersonal skills with an emphasis on customer service

  • Must be flexible and responsive to changing priorities

  • Ability to work both independently and in a team environment

  • Ability and willingness to work rotating weekend shifts according to business needs

  • Must have a high aptitude for common computer programs (e.g. MS Office), in addition to being comfortable in learning new software and hardware systems

  • Ability to navigate and be successful in a fast-paced, highly-matrixed work environment

Working Environment:

Below is listed the working environment/requirements for this role:

Able to communicate, receive, and understand information and ideas with diverse groups of people in a comprehensible and reasonable manner.

Able to work upright and stationary and/or standing for typical working hours.

Able to lift and move objects up to 25 pounds

Able to work in non-traditional work environments.

Able to use and learn standard office equipment and technology with

proficiency.

May have exposure to potentially hazardous elements, including infectious agents, typically found in healthcare or laboratory environments.

Able to perform successfully under pressure while prioritizing and handling multiple projects or activities.

Benefits

We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers employment with an innovative, forward-thinking organization, and outstanding career and development prospects. We offer an exciting company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation!

Compensation and Benefits

The hourly pay range estimated for this position based in California is $35.00–$38.10.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

  • A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs

  • Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement

  • At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy

  • Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan

  • Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

How this job compares

Set against the 2,042 open Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 30, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$35–38.1/hr
  • California median$35–38/hr32 hourly ranges
  • US median$31–38/hr91 hourly ranges

This range's midpoint, $36.55/hr, is close to the California median midpoint ($36/hr) — in the middle half of Scientist hourly ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 432 open Scientist jobs in California and 2,042 across the US. Under 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (1,464 postings).
Education
1,206 of the 2,042 open Scientist jobs (59%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 30, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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