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Contract Biologist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

LatchBio

AI Biologist - Metagenomics

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $180K/yr

Ai Biologist - Metagenomics As molecular data generation and frontier model intelligence grows, new ... Compensation & Logistics * 1099 (or W8-BEN) contract, 40 hrs/week, no end date * Fully performance ...

LatchBio

AI Biologist - Function

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $180K/yr

AI Biologist - Function As molecular data generation and frontier model intelligence grows, new ... Compensation & Logistics * 1099 (or W8-BEN) contract, 40 hrs/week, no end date * Fully performance ...

Genesis10

Molecular Biologist

San Diego, CA · On-site

$49.29/hr

This is a 6 month contract opportunity. We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Molecular Biologist to join a Cell Therapy Technologies team. This role is central to the molecular ...

Arcadis

Project Biologist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Arcadis seeks an Project Biologist to join the California High-Speed Rail Project Construction and ... Permit and contract document review. * Work independently on a consistent basis upon receiving ...

New

Arcadis

Project Biologist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

Arcadis seeks an Project Biologist to join the California High-Speed Rail Project Construction and ... Permit and contract document review. * Work independently on a consistent basis upon receiving ...

IT ENGAGEMENTS INC

Be Seen First

Pharma Scientist - Molecular Biology (Contract Role)

San Diego, CA · On-site

$45 - $48/hr

Scientist - Molecular Biology (Contract Role) Location: San Diego, CA Description Role Overview ... We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Molecular Biologist to join our Cell Therapy ...

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All JobsContract Biologist JobsContract Biologist Jobs in California

Contract Biologist information

See California salary details

$36.5K

$88.2K

$136.2K

How much do contract biologist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 25, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract biologist in California is $88,233.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,700.00 and $119,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a contract biologist?

A Contract Biologist is a professional hired on a temporary or project basis to conduct biological research, surveys, and environmental assessments. They often work for government agencies, consulting firms, or private companies, focusing on wildlife studies, habitat restoration, or regulatory compliance. Their responsibilities may include fieldwork, data analysis, report writing, and ensuring projects adhere to environmental regulations. This role is ideal for those who enjoy flexible work arrangements and diverse ecological projects.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a contract biologist?

To thrive as a Contract Biologist, you typically need a degree in biology or a related field, practical field or laboratory experience, and strong analytical skills. Familiarity with tools such as GIS mapping software, statistical analysis programs, and sometimes relevant certifications like HAZWOPER or specific state permits is often required. Exceptional organization, clear communication, and adaptability help contract biologists manage multiple projects and collaborate with diverse teams or clients. These skills are crucial for producing reliable data, meeting project deadlines, and ensuring client or regulatory compliance in a fast-paced, project-based role.

What are the typical work environments and project types for a contract biologist?

Contract Biologists often work in a mix of field, laboratory, and office settings, depending on the needs of each project. Projects can range from conducting wildlife surveys and environmental impact assessments to habitat restoration and data analysis for compliance reports. You may find yourself collaborating with environmental consultants, government agencies, or private sector clients, often working in teams with other specialists. Flexibility and strong communication are important, as project timelines and locations can vary. This role provides diverse experiences and the opportunity to build a broad skill set across multiple biological disciplines.

What are the most commonly searched types of Biologist jobs in California?

The most popular types of Biologist jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Contract Biologist jobs in California?

For Contract Biologist jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Contract Biologist jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Contract Biologist jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Contract Biologist jobs?

Cities in California with the most Contract Biologist job openings:

Contract Biologist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Contract Biologist job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, and 21% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $88,233 per year, or $42.4 per hour.

AI Biologist - Biologics Drug Discovery

San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

LatchBio
Biotechnology Research and Development • 11 - 50 employees
Learn more about LatchBioexternal

$120K - $180K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 24 days ago

Job description

AI Biologist - Biologics Drug Discovery
As molecular data generation and frontier model intelligence grows, new approaches to data analysis are needed across the biotech industry. Latch is building intelligent, high-performance agents for biological data analysis, empowering over 5,000 scientists across 150+ R&D labs to handle data from instrument-to-insights.
We're seeking a Bioinformatics Engineer to join our Biologics Drug Discovery team, working at the frontier of what artificial intelligence can achieve in biology.
About the Role
You will contribute to our technical approach for evaluating how AI agents reason through complex biologics therapeutics datasets. Working with software engineers and biologists, you'll build ground-truth benchmark datasets - drawn from real antibody and protein discovery programs - that rigorously test whether agents can perform the critical decision-making steps that human scientists execute.
Your hands-on expertise in variant ranking, enrichment analysis, and advancement prioritization will define how we measure agent capability in therapeutic discovery.
Requirements
  • 2+ years hands-on experience with biologics discovery or development (antibody engineering, protein engineering, or cell/molecular biology-driven target validation)
  • Experience interpreting binding kinetics (SPR/BLI), biophysical stability data, and/or cell-based potency assays
  • Proficiency in Python and/or R for data analysis & visualization
  • Familiarity with at least one of:
    • Antibody optimization (CDR engineering, VH/VL pairing, variant screening)
    • Protein structure (AlphaFold, cryo-EM, docking)
    • High-throughput antibody/binding screens
    • PK/PD modeling for biologics (target occupancy, half-life, clearance) -
    • Bioprocess/manufacturability constraints

Nice-to-Have
  • Experience with immunogenicity risk assessment
  • Hands-on work with potency assay design (ELISA, cell-based, biochemical)
  • CMC/GMP-adjacent knowledge

Culture @ Latch
How we work. Genuinely flexible schedules - we just ask that you communicate when you're coming in later than usual. We care most about hard work and output. We're respectfully opinionated, it will always be us against problems, not each other. Optimize for each other's time and bring solutions, not just problems. You'll join a bench suited to your expertise, but we value cross-domain learning and interoperability across teams.
The office & perks. Waterfront office near Oracle Park, 2x free daily meals, unlimited snacks, company outings most months, and team offsites. Plus a vibrant community: cycling, soccer, figure skating, boxing, run clubs, reading clubs, martial arts, music, game nights.
Compensation & Logistics
  • 1099 (or W8-BEN) contract, 40 hrs/week, no end date
  • Fully performance-based pay: $120K-$180K, uncapped upside. 2x quota = 2x pay.
  • 2-4 week paid ramp-full OTE from day one
  • Remote (globally), hybrid, or onsite in SF (onsite preferred)
  • Work authorization: OPT visa holders only (not STEM Extension)
  • Onsite perks: 2x free meals/day, waterfront office (China Basin), monthly parking (based on availability)
  • Candidates with all of the above qualifications + proven management skills will be eligible for more senior positions

Interview Process
Timeline: We move fast: 8-12 days from submission to offer.
  1. Intro Screen - Technical Recruiter
  2. Take-Home Project - HackerRank
  3. Technical Interview - Member of Technical Staff
  4. Culture Interview - C-Suite (If applicable)
  5. Offer
LatchBio logo

About LatchBio

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

Biotechnology research and development

Company size

11 - 50 Employees

Headquarters location

San Francisco, CA, US

Year founded

2021

Social media

Twitter

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