Associate Director, Assay Development

We are seeking a talented & motivated individual to provide scientific, technical & people leadership in the development of functional and binding assays to support the identification, characterization & profiling of novel small molecules with various modes of action at therapeutic targets of interest. The ideal candidate will have a thorough theoretical & practical understanding of drug-receptor theory and will have hands-on experience leading a productive team focused on the design & development of novel cell-based and protein-based assays. The successful candidate, reporting to the Head of Biology Technologies, will lead the Bioassay & Profiling team and will partner with colleagues in protein sciences, biology and chemistry to implement assay strategies for a diverse portfolio of targets

Responsibilities:    

• Define assay strategies to enable high-throughput screening and rigorous compound profiling during the lead identification and lead optimization stages of drug discovery
• Collaborate with colleagues in protein sciences, biology and chemistry regarding plans for the acquisition or de novo generation of key cellular, protein & chemical reagents
• Lead from the bench to investigate the technical feasibility of novel assay approaches and establish proof-of-principle for questions around target biology & cellular signaling pathways. Translate knowledge gleaned into actionable plans for development of panels of high-throughput, kinetic and endpoint assays employing various modes of fluorescence and luminescence detection
• Manage and mentor a team of scientists and ensure successful portfolio advancement by establishing priorities, setting timelines and monitoring progress with a sense of urgency across multiple projects simultaneously
• Oversee and guide the development, optimization and validation of robust, target-relevant cell-based and protein-based assays to enable characterization of ligand binding activity and assessment of downstream functional consequences of target engagement
• Establish high standards for assay performance and ensure collection, analysis, interpretation & communication of reproducible, high-quality in vitro pharmacological data to advance our understanding of structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of action of novel chemical series, including bi-specific molecules
• Maximize lab productivity and throughput by streamlining assay processes & workflows, by leveraging the capabilities of automated instrumentation & liquid-handlers and by optimizing informatics systems & internal databases for managing large volumes of data
• Document accurate records of experimental procedures, results & data analysis and present findings & interpretations to cross-functional project teams, research leadership and at external conferences, when appropriate
• Prospect for novel assay approaches and maintain current knowledge of advances in enabling technologies & assay platforms

Qualifications:

• PhD in pharmacology, physiology, biochemistry or a related scientific discipline with 8+ years of meaningful & impactful experience in the pharmaceutical / biotechnology industry
• Broad experience in the development of 96- & 384-well, plate-based fluorescent & luminescent activity assays for rigorously interrogating the in vitro pharmacology of a wide variety of molecular targets, including membrane proteins such as receptors & transporters as well as soluble proteins such as enzymes & transcription factors
• Experience in the development and execution of high-content, cellular-imaging, flow-cytometry or quantitative immunoassays is a plus
• Hands-on experience in operating and training others in the operation of modern assay technologies including multimodal plate readers (eg, Envision, PheraStar), kinetic plate readers (eg, FLIPR, FDSS) and automated liquid-handlers (eg, Bravo, Tempest, Echo), both as standalone systems and when integrated on automated platforms
• Previous experience in managing or mentoring others and contributing to their success is required
• A critical thinker with strong theoretical background in drug-receptor theory and skilled in its reduction-to-practice in the laboratory. Well-versed in experiment design with ability to analyze, interpret and contextualize large volumes of complex in vitro pharmacological and mechanistic data
• Highly-organized, detail-oriented and productive with excellent problem-solving & communication skills coupled with an ability to meet deadlines in collaboration with colleagues in multiple disciplines including protein science, structural biology and chemistry