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Assays Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Teck

$51K - $66K/yr

Assay Laboratory Supervisor Work Schedule: 2 weeks on-site, 2 weeks off-site Responsibilities: * Be a courageous safety leader, adhere to and sponsor safety and environmental rules and procedures

Stuller

Assay Technician

Lafayette, LA

$14.75 - $19.50/hr

The Assay Lab supports production and customer needs by providing accurate precious metal analysis and maintaining high quality control standards across materials and processes. The Assay Technician ...

Eurofins Scientific

Routine Assay Scientist

West Point, PA · On-site

$34.25 - $43/hr

This role will support a new high-tech facility running assays via automated liquid handlers and other robotics in a GXP-compliant environment for clinical and bioanalytical testing. This is a brand ...

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Assays information

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$34.5K

$70.6K

$126K

How much do assays jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for assays in the United States is $70,647.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $51,500.00 and $83,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What do assays do?

Assays are laboratory procedures used to detect, measure, or quantify specific substances, such as chemicals, biological molecules, or cells. Assay technicians or scientists perform these tests using specialized equipment and techniques to support research, quality control, or diagnostic processes.

What are assays?

Assays are laboratory procedures used to measure the presence, amount, or activity of a specific substance—such as a chemical, cell, or biomolecule—in a sample. They are essential in fields like biochemistry, pharmacology, and medical diagnostics to evaluate the efficacy of drugs, detect diseases, or analyze biological processes. There are many types of assays, including bioassays, immunoassays, and chemical assays, each tailored to different analytical needs. Researchers select the appropriate assay based on the target substance and the required sensitivity and specificity.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in assay development and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in assay development often encounter challenges such as optimizing assay sensitivity and specificity, troubleshooting inconsistent results, and adapting protocols for high-throughput environments. These challenges can be addressed by staying current with best practices, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams such as R&D and quality assurance, and rigorously validating each step of the assay process. Open communication, thorough documentation, and continuous training also play key roles in ensuring successful assay development and execution.

What is the difference between Assays vs Laboratory Technicians?

AspectAssaysLaboratory Technicians
Required CredentialsTypically requires a degree in biology, chemistry, or related field; certifications may be preferredUsually requires an associate degree or certification in laboratory procedures
Work EnvironmentConducts specific tests and assays in labs, often in research or quality control settingsPerforms routine lab tasks, prepares samples, and maintains lab equipment
Industry UsageCommonly used in biotech, pharmaceuticals, and research labs for testing and analysisWidely used across healthcare, clinical, and industrial laboratories

Assays focus on performing specific tests to analyze samples, often requiring specialized knowledge of testing protocols. Laboratory Technicians handle a broader range of lab tasks, including sample preparation and equipment maintenance. While both roles work in lab environments, assays are more specialized in testing procedures, whereas technicians support overall lab operations.

What is an assay scientist?

An assay scientist is a professional who develops, performs, and analyzes laboratory tests called assays to measure the presence or concentration of specific substances, often in biological samples. They typically work in research, development, or quality control environments and use specialized equipment and techniques to ensure accurate and reliable results.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Assay Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Assay Specialist, you need a solid background in biochemistry or molecular biology, laboratory techniques, and data analysis, usually supported by a relevant science degree. Familiarity with laboratory information management systems (LIMS), PCR machines, spectrophotometers, and quality control procedures is typically required. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective communication set top performers apart in this role. These competencies are crucial for ensuring accurate test results, maintaining data integrity, and supporting scientific research or diagnostic outcomes.

What is an assay worker?

An assay worker is a laboratory technician or scientist responsible for performing assays, which are tests used to measure the presence, amount, or activity of a substance in a sample. They typically follow standardized procedures, use specialized equipment, and may work in environments such as medical, pharmaceutical, or research laboratories. Certification or training in laboratory techniques is often required for this role.

What is the highest-paying career in a laboratory?

In laboratory settings, senior roles such as Laboratory Directors or Principal Investigators typically have the highest salaries, often exceeding six figures. These positions require advanced degrees, extensive experience, and strong management skills, and they oversee research, operations, or regulatory compliance within the lab environment.
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What job categories do people searching Assays jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Assays jobs are:
Assays jobs near you
Infographic showing various Assays job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 89% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $70,647 per year, or $34 per hour.
Senior / Staff Scientist, Assay Automation

Senior / Staff Scientist, Assay Automation

Clear Labs

San Carlos, CA • On-site

$110K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

About Clear Labs
Clear Labs (CL) harnesses the power of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to simplify complex diagnostics for clinical and applied markets. By creating a fully automated platform that brings together DNA sequencing, robotics, and cloud-based analytics, Clear Labs democratizes genomics applications to deliver better clarity. Clear Labs' turnkey platform accelerates outcomes and improves accuracy from food-borne pathogens to infectious diseases.
Position Summary
You will own the end-to-end performance of NGS assays running on Hamilton Platforms for Illumina-based sequencing assays, from wet lab execution through data interpretation. The work directly determines assay reliability in clinical use and is foundational to scaling our diagnostic platform.
This role is leveled Senior or Staff based on demonstrated scope, autonomy, and track record of shipping NGS assays into regulated environments. We will calibrate level during the interview process.
This is a hands-on role, not a managerial one. It is best suited for scientists who have repeatedly debugged failed NGS experiments and can trace issues across assay design, automated execution, and downstream data.
How This Role Operates
  • Partners daily with Assay Development, Automation Engineering, Bioinformatics, Manufacturing, and Regulatory / Quality.
  • Owns assay performance decisions on assigned product workstreams; signs off on experimental designs, root-cause findings, and verification study conclusions within scope.
  • Expected to escalate cross-functional tradeoffs and regulatory implications to the Director of Assay Development.

Location: San Carlos, CA
Primary Responsibilities
Assay Development (Core)
  • Troubleshoot and optimize full NGS workflows: extraction, fragmentation, end repair, ligation, library prep, target enrichment or amplification, pooling, and sequencing.
  • Identify root causes of assay failures and implement durable, documented fixes.
  • Redesign assay components for robustness, scalability, and reproducibility under production conditions.
  • Lead verification, characterization, and reagent qualification studies that drive assay decisions.
  • Own measurable improvements in assay reliability, variability, and yield on assigned workstreams.

Data Analysis and Experimental Design
  • Analyze sequencing data and run metrics to diagnose performance issues across the wet-to-dry interface.
  • Design experiments using DOE, regression, and hypothesis testing; quantify variance contributions.
  • Build and maintain quantitative performance metrics that characterize assay variability and stability.
  • Conduct reagent stability studies and lot-to-lot qualification.

Automation Integration
  • Develop and troubleshoot assays running on liquid handling automation (Hamilton or equivalent).
  • Partner with automation engineers to translate manual protocols into validated automated workflows.
  • Diagnose and resolve automation-related sources of variability.

Regulatory and Quality
  • Execute work under design controls and a quality management system (ISO 13485 or equivalent).
  • Contribute to analytical validation activities (LoD, precision, specificity, reproducibility, interference).
  • Apply structured problem-solving tools (FMEA, CAPA, change control) as part of routine work.

Requirements
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis; no visa sponsorship is available for this position.
  • PhD in molecular biology, genomics, bioengineering, or related field, OR equivalent industry experience defined as 8+ years in NGS assay development with at least one shipped IVD, LDT, or commercially deployed assay.
  • Demonstrated hands-on experience developing Illumina NGS assays through to production or clinical use.
  • Track record of leading end-to-end root-cause investigations of complex assay failures.
  • Hands-on experience developing or troubleshooting assays on liquid handling automation (Hamilton or equivalent).
  • Experience working under ISO 13485, FDA design controls, or a comparable regulated quality system.
  • Working proficiency in R, Python, JMP, or equivalent for sequencing data analysis and statistical experimental design (DOE, ANOVA, regression, variance decomposition).
Preferred Experience
  • IVD or LDT assay development for oncology, infectious disease, or similar clinical indications.
  • Hands-on experience with FFPE and/or cfDNA sample types.
  • Experience with hybrid capture target enrichment and/or amplicon-based panel design.
  • Named contribution to a 510(k), De Novo, PMA, or equivalent regulatory submission.
  • Experience integrating assays with downstream bioinformatics pipelines.
What Success Looks Like in the First 12 Months
How We Will Evaluate Candidates
  • Technical depth interview: walk through a real NGS assay failure you debugged end-to-end, including the data you used to localize the root cause.
  • Experimental design exercise: design a study to characterize a defined source of variability under stated constraints.
  • Cross-functional simulation: navigate a tradeoff between assay performance, automation feasibility, and regulatory impact.

Benefits
  • Salary range: $120,000-$150,000
  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-Sponsored Basic Life/AD&D, Long Term Disability
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Flexible Time Off
  • Stock Option Plan
  • Lunch stipend for days at headquarters

Notice of E-Verify Participation: Clear Labs participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. For more information, please review the E-Verify Participation Poster (English/Spanish) and the Right to Work Poster (English/Spanish).
Disclaimer
The above job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Responsibilities and duties may change or be adjusted to meet the needs of the company, and additional duties may be assigned as necessary. The job description is subject to change at any time at the discretion of the Company.

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