Associate Scientist Jobs in Austin, TX
Associate Scientist jobs in Austin, Texas are in active demand, concentrated in the Domain, East Austin life sciences corridor, and the medical research cluster near the University of Texas. Employers actively hiring include The University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Austin, and Meridial, primarily across biotech, pharmaceutical, and clinical research. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 19+ Associate Scientist jobs
POSITION SUMMARY:
Join Natera's Bio Development team as an Associate Scientist to design, optimize, and validate molecular assays for our market-leading non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) platform. This role bridges molecular biology with high-throughput liquid handling automation to directly impact patient care. The ideal candidate possesses strong experience in assay development, automated workflows, and data analysis, operating with an ownership mindset to convert scientific data into scalable clinical protocols.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design, plan, and execute complex laboratory experiments autonomously to advance non-invasive prenatal test development
- Analyze experimental data using advanced analytical tools, providing data-driven insights and troubleshooting laboratory processes
- Own and document technical workflows, summarizing findings in research reports and laboratory presentations
- Partner cross-functionally with Clinical Laboratory Operations (CLIA), Quality Assurance (QA), and Automation Engineering to ensure methods meet rigorous quality and regulatory standards
- Write standard operating procedures (SOPs) and technical documentation to seamlessly transfer protocols to manufacturing and operations teams
- Train junior team members and operator teams on newly developed protocols
- Maintain deep professional expertise by staying current with scientific literature relevant to cell-free DNA and nucleic acid technologies
QUALIFICATIONS:
- BA/BS with 6+ years of experience OR MS with 3+ years of experience in assay development and automation within the life sciences industry
- Demonstrated track record of developing, optimizing, and validating manual and automated protocols
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Strong underlying scientific knowledge of nucleic acid extraction, PCR, NGS library preparation, and hybrid capture technologies
- Hands-on experience in reagent preparation and quality control for NGS-associated assays
- Direct experience implementing, optimizing, and troubleshooting high-throughput automated assays utilizing liquid handler robotics
- Experience designing and executing formal design control studies, including stability, guard banding, reproducibility, repeatability, and validation
- Prior experience operating within a regulated laboratory environment (CLIA, CAP, or FDA)
- Data analysis and scripting proficiency in Python or R, along with liquid handler programming experience, is highly preferred
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration, organizational, and time management skills
OUR OPPORTUNITY
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women's health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.
The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you'll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you'll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!
For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.
If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.
Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/
Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.
- BBB announcement on job scams
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page
POSITION SUMMARY:
Join Natera's Bio Development team as an Associate Scientist to design, optimize, and validate molecular assays for our market-leading non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) platform. This role bridges molecular biology with high-throughput liquid handling automation to directly impact patient care. The ideal candidate possesses strong experience in assay development, automated workflows, and data analysis, operating with an ownership mindset to convert scientific data into scalable clinical protocols.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design, plan, and execute complex laboratory experiments autonomously to advance non-invasive prenatal test development
- Analyze experimental data using advanced analytical tools, providing data-driven insights and troubleshooting laboratory processes
- Own and document technical workflows, summarizing findings in research reports and laboratory presentations
- Partner cross-functionally with Clinical Laboratory Operations (CLIA), Quality Assurance (QA), and Automation Engineering to ensure methods meet rigorous quality and regulatory standards
- Write standard operating procedures (SOPs) and technical documentation to seamlessly transfer protocols to manufacturing and operations teams
- Train junior team members and operator teams on newly developed protocols
- Maintain deep professional expertise by staying current with scientific literature relevant to cell-free DNA and nucleic acid technologies
QUALIFICATIONS:
- BA/BS with 6+ years of experience OR MS with 3+ years of experience in assay development and automation within the life sciences industry
- Demonstrated track record of developing, optimizing, and validating manual and automated protocols
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Strong underlying scientific knowledge of nucleic acid extraction, PCR, NGS library preparation, and hybrid capture technologies
- Hands-on experience in reagent preparation and quality control for NGS-associated assays
- Direct experience implementing, optimizing, and troubleshooting high-throughput automated assays utilizing liquid handler robotics
- Experience designing and executing formal design control studies, including stability, guard banding, reproducibility, repeatability, and validation
- Prior experience operating within a regulated laboratory environment (CLIA, CAP, or FDA)
- Data analysis and scripting proficiency in Python or R, along with liquid handler programming experience, is highly preferred
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration, organizational, and time management skills
OUR OPPORTUNITY
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women's health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives.
The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you'll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you'll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management.
WHAT WE OFFER
Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program!
For more information, visit www.natera.com.
Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws.
If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents.
Link: https://www.natera.com/notice-of-data-collection-california-residents/
Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes.
- BBB announcement on job scams
- FBI Cyber Crime resource page
See All 19 Associate Scientist Jobs in Austin
Find roles in Austin that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Associate Scientist JobsAssociate Scientist Job Market in Austin
Who's Hiring
- The University of Texas at Austin11
- University of Texas at Austin3
- Meridial2M
- Natera1
- A-TEK1
Top Industries Hiring
- Education15
- Science & Research1
Associate Scientist Jobs in Austin: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an associate scientist job in Austin?
Focus your search on Austin's biotech and pharmaceutical clusters in the Domain and East Austin, plus the research institutions anchored near the UT campus. Employers in these areas tend to prioritize lab-specific technical skills, so tailoring your resume to the instrumentation and methods listed in each posting gives you a real edge. Networking through Austin's growing life sciences community also surfaces roles before they're widely posted.
Which companies hire associate scientists in Austin?
Companies currently hiring associate scientists in Austin include The University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Austin, and Meridial, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. Austin's mix of established pharmaceutical firms, mid-size biotech startups, and university-affiliated research centers means openings exist across a wide range of employer sizes and research focuses.
Are there remote associate scientist jobs in Austin?
Yes, though associate scientist roles are often hands-on and lab-based, making fully remote positions less common than in desk-based fields. About 8% of associate scientist openings tied to Austin are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, typically covering data analysis, regulatory documentation, and computational research functions rather than bench work.
How can I get an associate scientist job in Austin with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Austin is through contract or temp-to-hire roles at the city's biotech and CRO employers, which regularly bring on junior scientists for defined research projects. Research assistant positions at UT Austin and other campus-affiliated labs also serve as a direct bridge to industry roles. Certifications in widely used lab platforms and any hands-on coursework with Austin-specific employer technologies strengthen an entry-level application considerably.
Which industries hire the most associate scientists in Austin?
The sectors hiring the most associate scientists in Austin are Education and Science & Research, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. Austin's sustained investment in biotech infrastructure and its expanding medical research footprint make these sectors the primary drivers of local associate scientist demand.
See All 19 Associate Scientist Jobs in Austin
Find roles in Austin that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Associate Scientist Jobs