Director of Applications, or Senior Applications Scientist

San Carlos, California (in-person, hybrid up to 2 days per week)

Company

Cache DNA is on a mission to store the biomolecules of today to unlock the possibilities of tomorrow. Nucleic acids are the building blocks of life. Harnessing them globally will usher in the future of precision medicine.

Our vision is to create a scalable, sustainable, and standardized platform for reliable ambient nucleic acid storage and access at-scale by combining chemistry, biology, automation, and computational tools.

In the next phase of our company’s growth, we seek to deploy the powerful platform we’ve built to realize the full potential of biomolecule storage and access for research, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Our team has been leveraging our core technology to open many doors and create opportunities—now we are looking for a creative and talented individual to foster partnerships and create customer success.

Job Description

You are passionate about building the backbone of genomic medicine by leveraging deep technological transformation in both the scale and scope of molecular sample collection, storage, and analysis. With extensive industry experience at the intersection of molecular biology, chemistry, genomics, and precision medicine, you are keen to leverage your experience to pioneer new, transformative biosample preservation practices with leading organizations in research and industry. You have an innovative mindset and are comfortable working in deep technical fields, with a successful track record of both applications development and interfacing with customers, including in early access programs. Successful local Field Applications Scientists may also find this role engaging, though it requires being based at headquarters.

In this Director-level role, you will report to the Head of Product and interface closely with other team members working across R&D and product development. This is a full-time role at the San Carlos, CA headquarters with a hybrid option for up to 2 days per week.

As an early builder of Cache, you’ll have a direct and transformative impact on our platform and its lasting impact on the biotechnology space. Together, we will build and validate new processes that leverage molecular insights from precious biospecimens worldwide in an evolving multiomics landscape.

Responsibilities:

Develop, test, and optimize common molecular biology workflows that support the Cache biopreservation chemistry, including nucleic acid cleanup methods, PCR, and sequencing
Build relationships with industry and academic stakeholders remotely and/or in-person at customer sites, conferences, and events
Be the primary technical point of contact for early access programs, including live workflow demonstrations, technical workshops, and hands-on training for customers and partners
Initiate and drive key customer evaluations & proof-of-performance initiatives, including documentation, customer engagement, and output reports to all levels of internal and external stakeholders
Support converting relationships into innovative deal structures and partnerships aligned with Cache’s business objectives
Drive or heavily support product validation leading up to product launch
Collaborate with Product and R&D about future product capabilities and participate throughout the development process
Maintain a strong understanding of new omics and molecular biology technologies
Support Cache’s conference and online presence during commercialization

Required Qualifications:

MS/Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, or related
10+ years of hands-on, post-education experience in common molecular biology and genomics techniques, including Sample Prep, Library Prep, Purification, PCR, and sequencing
Successfully building technology-based solutions from early-stage companies through Series A and beyond
Proven track record in running Early Access programs that lead to successful product launches
Experience running or supporting product Validation during development
Able to work under timelines in a fast-paced environment
Strong project management skills (e.g. budgets, timelines, goal-setting, risk management)
An outstanding work ethic coupled with an engaging disposition and strong entrepreneurial drive
Willing to travel 10-40% of their time (depending on business needs) for customer engagement, conferences, and meetings with various stakeholders
Must have excellent written, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to present to diverse audiences
Direct experience representing the company to effectively influence external constituents, including customers, technical teams, and KOLs
Working in highly technical and cross-functional teams

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience as a Field Applications Scientist, though this role is headquarters-based
Familiarity with standard automation systems (Hamilton, Beckman Coulter, Agilent, Integra)
Conducting market research and developing product requirements
Developing, advocating for, and executing long-term technical product strategies and go-to-market plans
Experience in matrixed organizations using lightweight PDP frameworks
Familiarity with product regulatory requirements
Experience selling kits/reagents, instruments, software, and/or commercializing validated protocols

This might be a good fit for you if you…

Are hoping to join an early-stage deeptech company at a senior level
Are passionate about learning and testing new technologies at the intersection of molecular biology, chemistry, genomics, and precision medicine
Have a keen eye for detail and like to build
Like working with small teams
You operate with urgency, precision, and a deep sense of mission—because you know the impact of your work will echo for decades.
You bring structure to chaos—able to navigate scientific ambiguity and turn it into concrete plans, protocols, and progress.

Cache DNA offers an attractive total compensation package:

Industry-competitive salary commensurate with experience
Annual bonus (5% team, performance incentives)
Meaningful early-stage equity
401(k) program
Unlimited PTO subject to manager approval (2 week minimum)
Onboarding, wellness, and professional development stipends
Medical/dental/vision insurance
Parental leave
Worker's compensation

We strive to foster a culture of growth with a talented team around you, equally committed to success and ensuring each individual's mental health is supported

Cache DNA is an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce.

The pay range for this role is: 150,000 - 175,000 USD per year (San Carlos, CA). Compensation leveling will be aligned to experience and role scope; applicants at both Senior Applications Scientist and Director levels are encouraged to apply.

Cache DNA

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Director of Applications, or Senior Applications Scientist