TEMP - Associate Scientist / Scientist, Neuroimmunology

Neurocrine Biosciences•San Diego, CA

18d

About The Position

As part of the Neuroimmunology Research Team, the individual will contribute to the assessment of novel therapeutic approaches to target autoimmunity and inflammation in neurodegenerative and movement disorders. We are seeking a highly motivated, dedicated and collaborative scientist with knowledge and expertise in cellular and molecular immunology, with experience in antibody/small molecule drug discovery. The successful candidate will work as part of a highly team-oriented and collaborative group. The focus of this position will be to support the progression of multiple drug discovery projects in the Neuroimmunology space, by independently designing, performing, and validating key in vitro cell-based functional assays. The candidate will also perform experiments to understand the mechanism of action of drug candidates, and present data to cross-functional teams.

Requirements

BS/BA degree and 4+ years of relevant lab experience, OR MS/MA degree and 2+ years of relevant experience, immunology background preferred
Robust experience with whole blood, PBMC, and immune cell-based in vitro assays
Expertise in cell culture and aseptic technique, involving both immortalized cell lines and primary human/murine cells
Experience in immunoassays (ELISA, MSD, Western Blot, etc) and molecular biology techniques (mRNA isolation, qPCR)
Experience with multicolor flow cytometric analysis is a must to have
Able to explain the process behind data generated and the implications of the results
Strong knowledge of one or more scientific disciplines, especially immunology
Strong knowledge of scientific principles, methods, and techniques, and demonstrated ability to work with a variety of laboratory equipment/tools
Excellent communication, problem-solving, and analytical thinking skills
Ability to work as part of a cross-functional team, and present data and concepts clearly and concisely
Demonstrated ability to meet multiple deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and efficiency, and experience prioritizing multiple projects is a plus

Responsibilities

Designing and performing experiments to support scientific activities and project goals
Separation of human PBMC from whole blood or leukopak, as well as the isolation of primary human leukocyte populations (T cells, CD4+ T cells, DCs) for downstream assays
Maintain cell lines and primary cell cultures
Perform immunological assays including lymphocyte proliferation, activation, cytokine secretion, and differentiation
Perform basic molecular biology assays including mRNA isolation, Taqman qPCR
Flow cytometric analysis of immune cell subsets and analysis of data
Perform immunoassays (MSD, ELISA, etc) for analysis of soluble proteins in cell supernatants/murine plasma
Maintains and updates SOPs and electronic lab notebook, and writes data summaries for experiments conducted
Present data and findings to cross-functional project teams
Provides training and/or supervision to junior staff, as needed
Other duties as assigned