Associate Scientist II

Associate Scientist II (Ophthalmology Biological Research)
Onsite - Irvine, CA (may require minimal travel)
12+ month initial contract
Hourly Pay Rate: $34-37/hr

Orion Group is seeking for a Biological Research Scientist to work with our global pharmaceutical client's ocular therapeutics team located in Irvine, CA.

The Scientist will work in an ocular therapeutics team to evaluate devices, novel drug delivery systems or novel formulations for efficacy in translatable large animal models of retinal and optic nerve diseases with clinically-relevant endpoints. Familiarity with ocular disease is desirable. This individual will be involved in generating disease models using surgical, laser, drug, chemical or genetic techniques, selecting and optimizing appropriate endpoints, dosing, data collection, data analysis and interpretation, and presentation. Drug delivery includes topical, oral, intramuscular, intravenous, intravitreal, sub-tenons, suprachoroidal, sub-retinal, peri-ocular and intracameral. Endpoints include vision psychophysics (required), ocular electrophysiology (ERG, VEP), ocular imaging such as angiography and autofluorescence, fundus and vitreal photography, ocular coherence tomography (OCT), slit lamp biomicroscopy, gonioscopy, laser photometry, specular microscopy, ultrasonography, blood flow, intraocular pressure (IOP), and ophthalmoscopy.

The Associate Scientist II should be able to generate testable hypotheses around research questions, develop a research plan, design experimental protocols or models and prepare animal use protocols, and be responsible for carrying out experiments of high complexity with minimal supervision. The Scientist is also able to execute critical evaluations of research proposals and the published literature. The Scientist also collaborates with peers in multidiscipline programs or project teams. They will assist in developing plans, and executing experiments. The individual in this role will provide summaries of research for internal review (e.g., data generation, analytics, and reports). This individual conforms with and enforces safety regulations and maintains appropriate records; contributes to the overall safety and efficient operation of the laboratory.

Required attributes:

• Education: Masters or Bachelor's degree in Biology or related field, plus relevant experience of one to three years.
• Experience collecting and interpreting behavioral data (e.g., psychophysics).
• Knowledge of large animal models of ocular disease as identified above.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.
• Minimum proficiency with routine skills in the use of computers and commonly available graphics (e.g., Adobe Photoshop), spreadsheet (e.g., Microsoft Excel) and word processing (e.g., Microsoft Word), or presentation (e.g., PowerPoint) software.

Strongly preferred attributes:

• Basic ophthalmological proficiency (e.g., slit lamp biomicroscopy, ophthalmoscopy, OCT, refraction, retinoscopy, autofluorescence, fluorescence angiography, image interpretation, intraocular injections, tissue dissection, vitrectomy, lensectomy ophthalmic lasers).
• Use of ophthalmoscopic imaging technologies: E.g., digital fundus camera (conventional and high speed), gonioscope, specular microscope, refractometer, pupilometer, IOP tonometer, ocular fluorophotometer, conventional light and epifluorescence microscopes.
• Knowledge of electroretinography and visual evoked potential (VEP) systems (e.g., VERIS, Espion).
• Administration of routine anesthetic protocols and animal maintenance for non-terminal experiments.

Our role in supporting diversity and inclusion
As an international workforce business, we are committed to sourcing personnel that reflects the diversity and values of our client base but also that of Orion Group. We welcome the wide range of experiences and viewpoints that potential workers bring to our business and our clients, including those based on nationality, gender, culture, educational and professional backgrounds, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and age differences, job classification and religion. In our inclusive workplace, regardless of your employment status as staff or contract, everyone is assured the right of equitable, fair and respectful treatment.