Senior Liver Tissue Engineer

Overview:

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary:

The Bioengineering Division is seeking a Senior Liver Tissue Engineer to support the research and development of cutting-edge technologies. At Draper Bioengineering, we work at the interface between engineering and biology, and the successful applicant will join teams working on Micro-physiological systems (organ-on-chip) and other novel systems which blend complex biology with custom hardware and software. The successful candidate will be enthusiastic, observant, collaborative, and dedicated, and will serve as a subject matter expert, applying their foundational immunology knowledge and experience to exciting, interdisciplinary efforts.

Draper offers a distinctive environment that blends the best aspects of academia, government, and industry. Our supportive team atmosphere fosters innovation, intellectual creativity, and an emphasis on career development. The available position offers the potential for career growth and opportunities to take on more responsibility over time.

Job Description:

Duties/Responsibilities

• Drive solutions to complex problems with limited direction.

• Contribute to the development of innovative bioengineering solutions, propose ways forward, and adapt appropriately to changes in requirements.

• Able to provide insight and suggest design modifications based on analysis outcomes.

• Actively mentor less experienced bioengineers and provide thoughtful, constructive feedback.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills/Abilities

• Strong foundation in biology and/or engineering principles.

• Team player, dedicated, collaborative, observant, and motivated.

• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and verbal and written communication skills.

• Creative problem-solving skills and a passion for innovation.

• Excellent time management skills with the proven ability to meet deadlines and prioritize tasks.

• Enthusiasm for learning and participating in mentorship/mentoring.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Applications.

Education

• A minimum of a Bachelor's Degree in Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Cell Biology, Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics or related fields is required, a PhD is preferred.

Experience

• Requires 5+ years of Bioengineering or related engineering experience.

Additional Job Description:

• Develop, optimize, and characterize liver‑specific micro-physiological (MPS) and organ-on-chip models for toxicity, metabolism, and disease‑state studies
• Apply cell biology, developmental biology, and tissue engineering fundamentals to establish cell and tissue-based assays within Draper’s in vitro tissue culture systems under a variety of use-case scenarios
• Plan, conduct, and lead technical experiments with Draper’s advanced in vitro tissue culture technologies (micro-physiological system or organs-on-chip) in a BSL-2 laboratory
• Culture, maintain, and manipulate human primary cells and tissues – including primary liver-cell isolates, iPSC-derived hepatocytes, and non-parenchymal liver cells (Kupffer, stellate, sinusoidal endothelial cells) – in both standard in vitro formats and within Draper’s MPS platforms
• Perform a broad suite of molecular, biochemical, and cellular assays (e.g. immunostaining, ELISA, Luminex, flow cytometry, DNA and RNA extraction, qPCR, multi-omics) and biostatical data analysis
• Acquire brightfield, fluorescent and high-content confocal microscopy data; process and analyze image sets within automated pipelines to extract quantitative biological insights
• Create, version control, and maintain SOPs and analytical methods that are fully compatible within Draper’s platform technologies
• Collect, interpret, and summarize data; deliver clear and concise presentations to project leads, internal management, external sponsors/customers, and for peer‑reviewed publication
• Collaborate across multidisciplinary teams to execute project plans; mentor and train bench‑level colleagues and foster a collaborative, safety‑first lab culture.
• Troubleshoot experimental challenges in partnership with teammates and project leadership; drive rapid, data-backed decisions to keep projects on schedule
• Complete all required training, adhere to institutional, governmental, and safety regulations, and champion an environment of compliance
• Contribute to business‑development activities – technical ideation, proposal writing, and customer outreach – to expand Draper’s tissue engineering portfolio
• Support day‑to‑day lab organization (reagent sourcing, material preparation, equipment upkeep) to keep the MPS workflow running smoothly
• Work in face-paced, milestone-driven interdisciplinary environment where multi-tasking is essential

Preferred qualifications:

• Proven Liver-specific expertise: Demonstrated ability to develop and implement advanced in vitro human‑derived liver MPS models (microfluidic devices, perfused bioreactors, 3D organoids) that meet quantitative functional endpoints (albumin, urea, CYP activity, etc.).
• Complex hepatic co-culture expertise: Experience integrating non‑parenchymal cells (Kupffer, stellate, sinusoidal endothelial) into hepatocyte-based model to recapitulate complex inflammatory and disease phenotypes; experience with organoid, primary and/or iPSC cultures.
• Advanced in‑vitro system fluency: Proven experience with microfluidic‑based cell and tissue culture platforms (e.g., micro-physiological systems (MPS), organ‑on‑chip).
• Broad technical breadth:  Some experience  with microbiology (viruses, bacteria, toxins), immunology, synthetic biology, genetic engineering, bioinformatics/data analytics, and/or in silico modeling; some experience applying AI/ML-driven cell painting to automate high‑content imaging, extract deep‑learning phenotypes, and integrate quantitative readouts into downstream analyses; some experience with bio-informatic pipelines for high-content image and omics integration (e.g. R/Python); some exposure to in silico PK/PD modeling to link MPS data to in vivo predictions; familiarity with lab-automation for routine laboratory workflows.
• Strong communication skills: Ability to convey complex liver‑biology concepts to engineers, data scientists, and senior management; experienced in multi‑disciplinary teamwork.
• Proposal development: Experience writing innovative R&D proposals for government sponsors (contracts, grants) and secure external funding.
• Professional skills: Demonstrated ability to work independently while thriving in a collaborative environment; demonstrated flexibility to multi-task, adapt to shifting priorities and thrive in a fast-moving, collaborative environment; prior involvement in industry-academic consortia, clinical collaborations, and/or successful track-record of securing external funding; experience generating high-impact liver-focused scientific manuscripts or patent(s).
• Education: PhD in biology or engineering discipline with 3+ years of post-doctoral or industry R&D experience, or MS in biology or engineering discipline with 5+ industry R&D experience.

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. 

Connect With Draper for Future Opportunities! If you don't find the right posting in our Career Opportunities, you may submit your resume for future consideration.

Job Location - City:

Cambridge

Job Location - State:

Massachusetts

Job Location - Postal Code:

02139-3563

The US base salary range for this full-time position is

$82,300.00 - $220,000.00

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.  Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits.

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

Draper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.