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Assay Development Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Biomerieux

R&D Assay Director - Accellix

Lombard, IL · On-site

$195K - $255K/yr

This role leads the establishment and ramp-up of the ACCELLIX Assay R&D capability in Lombard, with end-to-end accountability for building the team, technology transfer from existing site, and ...

Nanobiosym

Senior Scientist: IVD Assay Developer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

$100K - $136K/yr

Lead molecular diagnostic assay development in a hands-on manner through successful FDA submission * Manage and contribute to regulatory documents * Project management; personnel management skills ...

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How much do assay development jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average hourly pay for assay development in the United States is $38.66, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $28.37 and $46.15 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are common challenges faced when developing new assays, and how can they be addressed?

Assay Development professionals often encounter challenges such as optimizing assay sensitivity and specificity, troubleshooting inconsistent results, and adapting protocols for high-throughput environments. These issues are typically addressed through systematic optimization of reagents and conditions, rigorous validation, and collaboration with cross-functional teams like R&D, quality assurance, and automation specialists. Clear documentation and regular team meetings also help in quickly identifying and resolving technical hurdles, ensuring the assay meets project goals and regulatory standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in assay development, and why are they important?

To thrive in Assay Development, you need a solid background in biochemistry, molecular biology, or a related field, often supported by a relevant degree or advanced training. Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation, data analysis software, and validation protocols is typically required, along with experience in techniques like ELISA, PCR, or cell-based assays. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective collaboration are crucial soft skills in this role. These competencies ensure the accuracy, reliability, and efficiency of assays, which are critical for research, diagnostics, and product development.

What is the difference between Assay Development vs Laboratory Scientist?

AspectAssay DevelopmentLaboratory Scientist
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Life Sciences, relevant certificationsBachelor's or Master's in Life Sciences, relevant certifications
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, biotech companies, pharmaceutical firmsResearch labs, hospitals, biotech companies
Industry UsageDesigning and optimizing assays for research and diagnosticsPerforming experiments, data collection, and analysis

Assay Development focuses on creating and optimizing diagnostic or research assays, while Laboratory Scientists perform experiments and analyze data within the lab. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and often work in similar environments, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What does an assay development scientist do?

An assay development scientist designs, optimizes, and validates laboratory tests to measure specific biological or chemical substances. They work with techniques such as ELISA, PCR, or spectrophotometry, often using specialized equipment and adhering to regulatory standards to ensure assay accuracy and reliability.

What is assay development?

Assay development is the process of designing and optimizing laboratory tests to detect or measure specific biological molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, or small compounds. It involves selecting appropriate techniques, reagents, and conditions to ensure accuracy, sensitivity, and reproducibility, often requiring knowledge of biochemistry and instrumentation. Assay development is essential in fields like diagnostics, drug discovery, and research to generate reliable data for decision-making.
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Assay Development jobs near you
Infographic showing various Assay Development job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,420 per year, or $38.7 per hour.

Senior Assay Development Consultant / Contractor POC IVD Clinical Chemistry

Essenlix

Monmouth Junction, NJ • On-site

$93K - $127K/yr

Part-time

Re-posted 6 days ago

Job description

Job Title:
Senior Assay Development Consultant / Contractor POC IVD Clinical Chemistry | Lab-on-Spin-Disk | Lyophilized
Reagent Beads
Location:
Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852
On-site preferred; part-time / project-based consulting arrangement
Employment Type:
Consultant / Contractor / Part-Time / Hybrid
About Essenlix Corporation:
 Essenlix Corporation is a fast-growing medical device company focused on developing innovative point-of-care diagnostic platforms for decentralized clinical testing. Our technologies integrate microfluidics, precision instrumentation, imaging, automation, and scalable manufacturing to enable accessible, high-quality diagnostics worldwide.
Our overseas manufacturing facility is ISO 13485 certified. We are expanding our U.S.-based assay development and product development capabilities while advancing next-generation POC diagnostic platforms from feasibility through commercialization. 
Position Summary:
We are seeking an experienced POC IVD Assay Development Consultant / Contractor to support and accelerate the development of clinical chemistry assays for a Lab-on-Spin-Disk / centrifugal microfluidic diagnostic platform. 
This role is intended for a consultant with strong hands-on experience developing biochemical or clinical chemistry assays that can be translated into manufacturable IVD products, especially assays using dry reagent formats, lyophilized reagent beads, or stabilized reagent systems.
The consultant will help design, optimize, troubleshoot, and productize assays for analyzer-based POC diagnostic systems. Prior experience with Lab-on-Disk, Lab-on-Spin-Disk, cartridge-based clinical chemistry platforms, or similar POC IVD systems is highly preferred. 
Target assay areas may include, but are not limited to: 
glucose, albumin, creatinine, lipid panel, triglycerides, cholesterol, metabolic panel, electrolyte panel, and liver function markers such as AST and ALT. 

 Key Responsibilities:
  • Develop, optimize, and troubleshoot biochemical and clinical chemistry assays for POC IVD platforms. 
  • Support assay development on Lab-on-Spin-Disk, Lab-on-Disk, centrifugal microfluidic, or equivalent cartridge/analyzer-based systems. 
  • Design and optimize reagent formulations, including enzyme systems, buffers, calibrators, stabilizers, surfactants, preservatives, and dry reagent formats.
  • Develop or improve lyophilized reagent bead formulations suitable for product integration and manufacturing transfer.
  • Evaluate assay performance, including precision, accuracy, linearity, sensitivity, specificity, reportable range, interference, and matrix effects.
  • Conduct method comparison studies against reference analyzers or established clinical chemistry systems.
  • Support real-time and accelerated stability studies for liquid, dried, and lyophilized reagent formats.
  • Troubleshoot assay performance issues related to reagent chemistry, sample matrix, disk/cartridge design, fluidics, optical detection, and instrument interaction.
  • Work closely with engineering, instrumentation, software, manufacturing, QA/QC, and regulatory teams to ensure assay-platform compatibility.
  • Provide technical guidance to accelerate assay development from feasibility to productready design.
  • Support transfer of assays from R&D to manufacturing and quality control. 

Required Qualifications:
  •  PhD in Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Clinical Chemistry, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field;     or MS/BS with significant relevant industry experience.
  •  5+ years of hands-on IVD assay development experience, preferably in POC diagnostics, clinical chemistry, or     analyzer-based system. 
  • Strong experience developing assays for automated analyzers, cartridge-based systems, Lab-on-Disk platforms, or    similar diagnostic platforms.
  • Solid understanding of enzymatic assays, colorimetric/spectrophotometric assays, clinical chemistry principles, and reagent formulation.
  • Experience translating assays from feasibility into robust product development.
  • Experience with assay verification, validation, performance characterization, and troubleshooting.
  • Proven ability to identify root causes of assay failure and improve assay robustness.
  • Ability to work independently as a senior technical consultant while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Direct experience with Lab-on-Spin-Disk, Lab-on-Disk, centrifugal microfluidics, or  similar POC diagnostic platforms. • Experience developing multi-analyte clinical chemistry panels.
• Experience with dry chemistry, lyophilized reagent beads, reagent stabilization, or dry reagent manufacturing for IVD
   applications.
• Experience with clinical chemistry panels such as glucose, albumin, creatinine, lipid panel, metabolic panel, electrolyte
   panel, liver panel, AST, ALT, and related assays.
• Experience with product commercialization, design transfer, or regulatory submissions for IVD products.
• Familiarity with statistical tools for assay evaluation, including regression analysis, correlation studies, Bland–Altman
  analysis, precision studies, and method comparison.
• Prior experience at diagnostics companies such as Abaxis, Abbott, Roche Diagnostics, Siemens Healthineers,
  Beckman Coulter, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, or similar companies.
Ideal Candidate Profile:
The ideal candidate is not only a strong assay scientist, but someone who has previously helped bring clinical chemistry assays into real diagnostic products. We are especially interested in candidates who understand the practical challenges of converting liquid reagent chemistry into stable dry or lyophilized formats for POC platforms.
The candidate should be able to provide senior-level technical direction, quickly diagnose assay development bottlenecks, and help the internal team accelerate development toward a manufacturable and commercially viable product.
Soft Skills:
• Strong hands-on problem-solving ability in assay development.
• Practical understanding of product development, not only academic assay design.
• Strong experimental rigor and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to scientific, engineering, and business teams.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup/product development environment.
• Able to work independently with limited supervision.
• Collaborative mindset across assay, engineering, manufacturing, QA/QC, and regulatory functions.
What We Offer:
• Flexible consulting / contractor arrangement.
• Competitive hourly or project-based compensation.
• Opportunity to contribute directly to commercial POC IVD product development.
• Hands-on involvement in next-generation Lab-on-Spin-Disk diagnostic platform development.
• Collaborative cross-functional R&D environment.
• Opportunity for technical leadership and potential longer-term collaboration.
How to Apply:
Please submit your resume and a brief summary of your relevant experience in POC IVD assay development, clinical chemistry assay development, Lab-on-Disk/Lab-on-Spin-Disk systems, or lyophilized reagent bead development.