Director/Sr. Director

JOB SUMMARY

As Director/Sr. Director of Biochemical and Cellular Pharmacology, you will lead a team of talented scientists in the design, development and execution of biochemical and cellular assays to help advance Scorpion’s small molecule drug discovery programs.  You will provide leadership in establishing and implementing in vitro screening strategies to drive Scorpion’s projects from hit ID to development candidate selection.  This is a unique opportunity to work closely with a skilled group of scientists representing medicinal chemistry, computational chemistry, biology, structural biology and other disciplines to identify new targets and hits and advance programs to the clinic.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead a team of scientists and RAs in the design, development, validation, and implementation of novel biochemical/biophysical and cellular assays for the identification, profiling, and mechanistic characterization of small molecule compounds.
• Develop sensitive and robust biochemical and cell-based assays and translate proof-of-concept assays into high-quality, microtiter plate-assays that have been optimized & validated to meet predefined standards of performance.
• Manage external FTEs and troubleshoots methods at CROs, for compound library screenings and weekly assays.
• QC and analyze data & document all findings & discoveries in an electronic lab notebook in a timely manner.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in biology, chemical biology, informatics, structural biology and medicinal chemistry to define and develop screening cascades for Scorpion’s novel targets, advancing programs from early hit-finding through candidate selection.
• Contribute to multiple projects simultaneously and manage diverse team interactions.
• Proactively communicate strategy, critical issues, and recommendations to enable appropriate resource decisions.
• Maintain excellent communication across internal and external colleagues.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Ph.D. in relevant field with 10+ years of industry experience.
• Strong background in biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology, and experience in early drug discovery. 
• A deep and broad understanding of the development, validation & execution of a wide array of binding & biochemical/cellular functional assays such as AlphaLISA, TR-FRET/HTRF, ELISA, NanoBRET, FP, SPR, MST and DSF.
• High technical proficiency in implementing protocols for multi-modal plate readers (e.g., Envision, Neo, PHERAstar), liquid handlers (e.g., Multidrop Combi, Echo acoustic dispensers, digital dispensers) & other automated laboratory equipments (e.g., stackers/plate hotels, robotic arms, incubators, etc.).
• Expertise in handling, analyzing and visualizing large data sets coming out of screening assays.
• Direct experience in working with and characterizing challenging proteins.
• Ability to provide expert knowledge on the biochemical mechanisms of small molecule interactions with protein targets of interest.
• A strong record of achievement, including contributing to drug discovery programs and publications in high-impact journals.
• Commitment to the highest-quality research with outstanding organizational abilities and scientific execution.
• Outstanding decision making, organizational and analytical skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.