Job Details
Senior Stem Cell Biologist – UC-MSC Culture & Bioprocess Development
Location: Scottsdale, AZ
Reports to: Founder
Compensation: $110,000 – $160,000+ base salary, commensurate with experience, with upside for exceptional candidates
About the Role
Innate Healthcare Institute is an advanced regenerative medicine clinic and research organization specializing in the clinical and translational application of umbilical cord–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and related biologics. We are expanding our in-house cell culture and bioprocessing capabilities and are seeking a Senior Stem Cell Biologist to take a foundational role in scaling, optimizing, and overseeing UC-MSC production for clinical and research use.
This is a hands-on, senior-level scientific role with real authority. The successful candidate will help shape laboratory operations today and, with the right fit, play a key role in building toward a full GMP program over time.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform umbilical cord tissue processing and dissection, including isolation and expansion of UC-MSCs
- Design, execute, and optimize large-scale MSC expansion protocols, including production at the hundreds of millions to billions of cells scale
- Operate and refine bioreactor-based cell culture systems for MSC expansion
- Develop, document, and maintain SOPs for: UC-MSC expansion and passaging; Cryopreservation and thawing; MSC-derived exosome production (if applicable); Quality control and release criteria
- Support research and clinical-intent initiatives, including study design, internal research proposals, and translational workflows
- Supervise, mentor, and train laboratory technicians or junior scientists, as the program grows
- Maintain rigorous documentation and data integrity consistent with research-grade production with clinical intent, using cGMP-grade inputs
Required Qualifications
- Demonstrated hands-on experience culturing mesenchymal stem cells, with strong preference for umbilical cord–derived MSCs
- Proven experience scaling MSC cultures to high-cell-number production (hundreds of millions to billions of cells)
- Experience with bioreactor-based cell culture systems
- Strong applied understanding of cell biology, stem cell biology, and regenerative medicine
- Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with clinical and leadership teams
- Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken)
- Note: Exceptional hands-on experience may substitute for formal academic credentials.
Preferred Qualifications
- PhD in cell biology, stem cell biology, bioengineering, or a related field
- Experience with MSC-derived exosome isolation and characterization
- Familiarity with GMP or GMP-adjacent environments, or prior involvement in scaling toward GMP
- Experience developing or validating QC assays (identity, viability, sterility, potency)
- Prior leadership or lab management experience
What We Offer
- Competitive compensation: $110,000 – $160,000+ base, with flexibility for exceptional candidates
- Significant scientific autonomy and influence over protocols, infrastructure, and lab direction
- Direct involvement in clinical-intent cell production, not purely academic research
- Opportunity to help build and shape a GMP-capable program over time
- A modern laboratory and clinical environment with long-term growth opportunities
Immigration & Sponsorship
Visa sponsorship may be available for highly qualified candidates with excellent English proficiency.
Company
Innate Healthcare Institute is an advanced regenerative medicine organization focused on translating cutting-edge cellular science into real-world clinical impact. Based in Scottsdale, Arizona, we specialize in the clinical and research application of umbilical cord–derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and related biologics, with a long-term vision of building fully GMP-capable, in-house cell production systems.
What distinguishes Innate is not just what we work on, but how we work. Our environment is built for scientists who want ownership, autonomy, and the opportunity to build, not simply maintain, systems. We operate at the intersection of research, translational science, and clinical application, using cGMP-grade inputs and research-grade processes with clear clinical intent. As we grow, we are intentionally creating the infrastructure, SOPs, and culture required to scale toward full GMP operations.
Team members at Innate are trusted to think critically, solve complex problems, and take responsibility for outcomes. We value hands-on expertise, scientific judgment, and the ability to translate ideas into reproducible processes more than titles alone. Collaboration is central, but so is independence, our scientists are expected to lead within their domain.
For those passionate about regenerative medicine, cell therapy, and building something meaningful from the ground up, Innate Healthcare Institute offers a rare opportunity to shape both the science and the future direction of a growing organization.
Company info
Website: innatehealthcare.org