Associate Principal Scientist - Screening & Compound Profiling

Job Description

The Screening & Compound Profiling group at our Research Laboratories site in Rahway, NJ is looking for a highly motivated, talented and innovative Associate Principal Scientist with a strong background in biochemical and cell-based assays to participate on cross-functional teams and drive drug discovery programs across multiple therapeutic areas.  Successful individuals will use cutting-edge technologies to access unparalleled synthetically accessible chemical diversity. Scientists will be immersed in a multi-disciplinary environment (collaborating with Quantitative Biosciences, Data, AI & Genome Sciences (DAGS), Discovery Chemistry, Computational Structural Chemistry and project team colleagues) charged with progressing hits using detailed biochemical and cellular mechanistic profiling paired with informatics and high-throughput experimentation.  Output from such work will enable drug discovery programs across oncology, immunology, neuroscience, cardiometabolic and infectious disease. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, plan and execute robust scientific research activities utilizing biochemical & cell-based assays ‘at-scale’ to accelerate lead discovery.

• Represent Screening & Compound Profiling on cross-functional project teams influencing strategic direction with data/progress updates & insight.

• Contribute to a high-performance culture of inclusion, collaboration, engagement and self-accountability.

• Promote the external reputation of our department by contributing to publications and participating in external symposia.

Education:

• Degree in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology or equivalent, including years of relevant in vitro assay and industry cross-functional team experience as appropriate: Ph.D. (4+ years), M.Sc. (7+ years) or B.Sc. (10+ years).

Required Skills & Experience:

• Extensive development of assays for soluble (e.g. kinases, phosphatases) and membrane (e.g. GPCR’s, ion channels, transporters) proteins.

• Miniaturization of biochemical and/or cell-based assays (384w/ 1536w) using liquid handlers and detectors to support small molecule and peptide screening & profiling.

• Demonstrated ability to work under tight timelines and independently execute experimental tasks.

• Guidance of scientific operations, strategy, and communication with a track record of collaboration on multidisciplinary teams in one or more therapeutic area(s).

• Interaction with therapeutic areas and chemistry across high-throughput screening, hit-to-lead and/or lead optimization discovery space.

• Passion for fostering a diverse and inclusive culture and contributing to the growth and success of colleagues.

• Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills with a proven track-record of maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders.

• Strong external reputation as evidenced through publications, presentations, and/or scientific community engagement.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Application of laboratory automation to biochemical and cell-based assay systems in both walk-up and integrated platform scenarios.

• Collaboration to identify, evaluate, and recommend novel and cutting-edge assay development strategies to drive programs in areas including, but not limited to, high throughput-complex cell models, mass spectrometry-based biochemical assays and ML/AI.

• Collaboration with project teams to develop innovative approaches to phenotypic screening for small molecule & functional genomic discovery efforts.

• Interaction with affinity-based screening teams/technologies (DEL, AS/MS, mRNA-Display) and adjacent functions (protein generation, biophysics).

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

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