Role overviewAs a Scientist/Senior Scientist at e184, you will define the in vivo blood flow properties our engineered perfusion systems are ultimately built to reproduce, and characterize how the immune system and plasma function within living tissue under those flow conditions. Your work identifies the physiological properties, from vascular resistance and flow patterns to immune-cell trafficking and plasma-protein behavior in tissue, that translates real biology into design targets for the engineering teams. This is a bench-science-driven role for someone who wants to define what "normal" looks like in living tissue before it becomes an engineering specification.
What you'll do- Characterize in vivo blood flow: Define flow, pressure, resistance, and shear properties across relevant tissues and gestational stages using in vivo reference data, establishing the physiological targets engineered perfusion systems must reproduce.
- Study immune function within tissue: Characterize resident and trafficking immune cell populations, cytokine signaling, and immune-tolerance mechanisms as they operate within living tissue under normal blood flow conditions.
- Characterize plasma function in tissue: Define how plasma composition behaves and changes as it interacts with tissue in vivo, including oncotic and osmotic effects, protein binding, and delivery of tissue-relevant factors.
- Translate in vivo findings into design targets: Convert physiological characterization into quantitative benchmarks that inform perfusate composition, flow/pressure setpoints, and monitoring requirements for engineered systems.
- Collaborate cross-functionally: Work closely with the engineering team to ensure engineered systems are validated against in vivo physiology.
- Contribute to in vivo reference studies: Support characterization of in vivo reference animal models, generating the datasets other milestones benchmark engineered platforms against.
Core requirements- PhD in physiology, immunology, hematology, vascular biology, or a related field, with 7+ years of relevant research experience
- Strong understanding of in vivo blood flow dynamics and vascular physiology
- Strong background in immunology, particularly immune cell function and signaling within tissue
- Deep knowledge of plasma composition and its physiological behavior in tissue
- Experience designing and executing in vivo or ex vivo physiological characterization studies
- Strong data analysis and quantitative benchmarking skills
- Strong collaboration and communication skills in interdisciplinary environments
- Comfort working in a fast-paced, iterative startup environment
You'll stand out with- Experience with placental blood flow and uteroplacental circulation
- Experience in reproductive immunology, particularly maternal-fetal immune interactions
- Experience with in vivo imaging or monitoring of blood flow (e.g., contrast-enhanced ultrasound, Doppler, microcirculatory imaging)
- Experience with comparative physiology across species (rodent, nonhuman primate, human)
- Prior experience translating in vivo physiological data into engineering specifications
The perks- Competitive salary + equity participation is considered
- State-of-the-art facility in Portland metro area
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401(k) with company match
- 20 days PTO + 11 paid holidays
