Senior Research Associate

Cytokinetics is a late-stage, specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors as potential treatments for debilitating diseases in which cardiac muscle performance is compromised. As a leader in muscle biology and the mechanics of muscle performance, the company is developing small molecule drug candidates specifically engineered to impact myocardial muscle function and contractility.

At Cytokinetics, each team member plays an integral part in advancing our mission to improve the lives of patients. We are seeking tenacious, compassionate, and collaborative individuals who are driven to make a positive impact

We seek a highly motivated Research Associate to join our Discovery Biology group to help drive the early steps of our drug discovery efforts. Drug discovery and optimization will use a broad variety of novel biochemical and cellular approaches to identify compounds that improve cardiac and skeletal muscle contractility and metabolism. Innovative design and execution of experiments that facilitate the successful discovery of drugs that improve human health is our primary goal.

Responsibilities:

• This candidate will play a key role in supporting lead optimization programs by developing and running biochemical and cellular assays for hit identification and lead optimization, as well as mechanism of action studies, and will work closely with cross functional teams.

• The candidate will be involved in cell culture maintenance with other scientists within the department to support our preclinical drug discovery efforts in the areas of skeletal muscle and/or cardiac contractility and metabolism

• The candidate will perform primary literature and genomic/metabolomic search to identify novel drug targets for future development

• The candidate will use data analysis software to analyze large datasets, generate integrated data analysis reports, and provide results to stakeholders in a timely manner through written and verbal presentations.

• As a member of a multidisciplinary team, this person will work closely with team members to identify, characterize, and advance compounds through research and preclinical development.

 Qualifications:

• The position requires a BS or MS in cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, or related field with 2 plus years of research experience in an academia or 3+ years of experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology setting

• Hands-on expertise with molecular and cell biology techniques-including qPCR, western blotting, and 2D and 3D cell culture models using hPSC lines and primary cells-is required

• Experience in preparing histological slides for microscopic examination, immunohistochemical staining, fluorescence imaging, and interpreting stained slides is required

• Prior experience in biochemical and/or cell-based assay development and execution, including data analysis and reporting, is required

• Working knowledge of cardiac and/or skeletal muscle biology and histology is preferred

• Knowledge/experience with multi-parameter FACS sorting and analysis is preferred

• Hands-on expertise in rodent in vivo experiments, including dosing (IP/IV/PO), tissue collection, etc. is preferred

• Strong skills in data analysis and visualization (Excel and GraphPad is preferred)

• An ability to multitask, strong organizational and time management skills, attention to detail, and flexibility are required

• Enthusiasm for working in a team-based, multi-disciplinary environment, paired with excellent verbal and written communication skills, is required

Pay Range:

In the U.S., the hiring pay range for fully qualified candidates is $114,000-$150,000 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

Please review our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy PRIOR to applying.