Research Associate Job at Cradle, Amsterdam | Life Sciences Candidates, Apply Now
If you are an innovative laboratory professional looking to merge wet-lab automation with cutting-edge artificial intelligence, this full-time position at Cradle is an exceptional opportunity. Located at the vibrant tech hub in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this on-site role embeds you directly within the core Bioengineering team. For adaptive bench scientists searching for a high-impact Research Associate Job, this position offers hands-on ownership of high-throughput DNA synthesis, automated protein purification, and next-generation library cloning. It serves as an elite launchpad for an enduring Cradle career and stands out as a premier Biology Job at the absolute intersection of machine learning and modern synthetic biology.
- Job Position: Research Associate Biology, High Throughput Experimentation
- Location: Amsterdam
About The Company
Cradle is a fast-growing, venture-backed biotechnology company of around 90 people distributed across Amsterdam and Zurich. Driven by a mission to make biotechnology programmable, Cradle offers an advanced software platform for AI-guided discovery and engineering of proteins. By utilizing generative machine learning models, Cradle enables global clients across biopharma, agriculture, and food-tech to design optimized proteins faster and at an unprecedented scale. The Amsterdam laboratory infrastructure is explicitly built around high-throughput laboratory automation and liquid-handling robotics, creating a tightly coupled feedback loop between biological testing data and computational algorithms.
Research Associate Job – Key Responsibilities
As a Research Associate in Biology, you will collaboratively run, troubleshoot, and continuously optimize high-throughput wet-lab workflows to generate mass experimental datasets for machine learning training.
Your day-to-day experimental, automation, and data duties will include:
- High-Throughput Expression & Purification: Running scalable workflows for DNA synthesis, high-density assembly, and both in vitro and in vivo protein expression/purification to advance this Biology Job.
- Assay & Characterization Execution: Executing qualitative and quantitative characterization studies, including automated enzymatic kinetic assays or molecular binding affinity screenings.
- Tinkering & Protocol Innovation: Supporting the bioengineering team in developing, refining, and testing novel experimental methods that deviate from mainstream molecular workflows.
- Cross-Functional Data Organization: Effectively documenting raw experimental steps, parameters, and successes within digital registries to ensure physical and digital tracking stays perfectly organized.
- Agile Collaboration: Providing proactive technical updates, sharing logistical challenges, and driving execution across multiple projects simultaneously to support a fast-moving Research Associate Job timeline.
Qualifications & Profile Requirements For Research Associate Job
This position is tailored for highly motivated, hands-on researchers who thrive in the fast-paced, ambiguous, and rewarding environment of an early-stage startup.
- Required Criteria:
- Educational Foundation: A BSc or equivalent practical experience in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Enzymology, Metabolic Engineering, Biophysics, or a related quantitative life science field.
- Standard Lab Mastery: Demonstrated experience with foundational molecular biology techniques, cloning strategies, and standard expression systems (e.g., E. coli, B. subtilis, P. pastoris, CHO, or HEK cell lines).
- Role Alignment: Strong personal motivation to work in a 100% laboratory-based, on-site role in Amsterdam.
- Linguistic Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills in English, with a proactive habit of sharing data insights across cross-functional team boundaries.
- Highly Valued “Nice-to-Have” Assets:
- Hands-on experience with classical high-throughput laboratory automation (robotic liquid handlers, acoustic dispensers, microplate readers).
- Advanced high-throughput cloning techniques, including site-directed mutagenesis, Gibson Assembly, and Golden-Gate Cloning.
- Experience with cell-free protein expression systems (cell extracts, myTXTL, PURE systems) or Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms (Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, PacBio) to accelerate your Cradle career.
- Baseline background in assay development for antibody binding or deep enzyme kinetics.
In short, the Research Associate position in High-Throughput Experimentation at Cradle is a definitive route to transitioning your molecular biology degree into a futuristic, automation-driven career. Securing this role allows you to step away from slow, manual pipetting and actively master the robotic workflows and machine learning pipelines that are revolutionizing protein design. If you live in or are ready to relocate to Amsterdam, hold a relevant biochemistry degree, and have an appetite for a rapid startup pace, apply today to secure this premier opportunity.
