RESEARCH ASSOCIATE

📍 Taipei City - National Biotechnology Research Park

🏢 On-site
📃 Full Time Hours
📅 Fixed Term Contract until 31st December 2026.

About Ochre Bio

Ochre Bio develops RNA therapies for chronic liver disease. Our driving vision is to end the need for liver transplants. Over 1.5 million people, globally, die of chronic liver disease every year. For the vast majority the only cure is a liver transplant. With little more than 40,000 transplants performed, this is a health lottery. Ochre exists to change this.

Our science is built on three pillars:

• Causal human discovery: The largest global collection of human liver data to uncover new therapeutic targets.
• Rigorous human validation: World-leading human models that far outclass traditional animal models.
• Better therapeutic translation: Optimised RNA chemistry and biology to bring effective therapies to patients faster.

We’re ambitious, curious, and supportive, embracing failure as part of innovation and guided by our three operating values:

• Clarke’s Law: Be bold. Think big.
• Murphy’s Law: Fail fast. Learn faster.
• Wheaton’s Law: Support each other, always.

The Role

We are looking for a talented and highly motivated Research Associate to join the Ochre Bio Team in TPE on an exciting journey to support the development of advanced RNA medicines for one of the most pressing healthcare challenges of our time.

Ochre’s Taipei site is a highly unique precision-slice liver culture lab that deep phenotypes human liver biopsies from diseased donor patients and studies their responses to advanced RNA therapies. Deep phenotyping of liver tissue slices includes: tissue imaging, functional assays, bulk/single-cell sequencing, to model disease and therapeutic dynamics over extended culture time. The team also uses functional genomics, perturbation assays and large scale primary human cell culture/co-culture models to increase scale and throughput of generating discovery datasets and drug candidate screening.

This role will be responsible for generating experimental data from Taipei lab, to support tissue assays for early validation of Ochre’s drug discovery candidates and pharma partnership projects. We are looking for well-rounded scientists who can keep to deadlines in a fast-paced environment and be part of a collaborative team. Experimental experience in liver, 2D/3D precision cut tissue and cell cultures, histology, imaging, RNAi screens and excellent proficiency in molecular biology and biochemistry will be highly advantageous. You will report to the Head of Early Validation (site head), working closely with the rest of tissue team to generate robust data.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare ex vivo tissue samples and for early validation studies
• Assist in transportation of clinical samples from hospital to the lab
• Assist in histology workflows such as sectioning of tissue block, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and microscopy. Experience and independence in working with histology and microscopy workflow is a plus.
• Generating data reliably using molecular biology methods such as qPCR, immunoassays (ELISA, AlphaLISA), DNA, RNA and protein isolation
• Keeping site inventory and ensuring a safe and clean work environment
• Supports development and management of research protocols and documentation of data
• Actively collaborate and communicate with other members of Ochre Bio across all three sites (US, UK & Taiwan) and attend meetings
  

Must-haves

• M.Sc. in a relevant field
  
• Experience with cellular models using sterile technique
• Highly organised and methodical approach to work and record keeping
• Self-motivated, technically competent and capable of working independently within the laboratory
• Excellent interpersonal skills and good team player
• Embracing change - this is a fast-growing company and change is inevitable!
  

Nice-to-haves

• Startup biotech or industry experience
• Histology workflows such as sectioning of tissue block, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and microscopy.
• Track record of scientific contributions including peer-reviewed first-author publications, patent applications, and/or presentations at major conferences
• Good working command of English
  

If you’re ready to make an impact in the fight against chronic liver disease, we’d love to hear from you 👉 Apply now!