Scientist, Cell Biology & Assay Development

Octant Bio•Emeryville, CA

15h•$128,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

Octant is seeking a Scientist with a strong background in molecular biology, cell engineering, and high-throughput screening to join their lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) team. This role focuses on designing and executing cell-based assays to characterize small-molecule correctors for Fabry disease and another target. The data generated will be crucial for advancing drug discovery programs and supporting regulatory filings. The ideal candidate is motivated by Octant's mission, possesses a team-first mindset, has deep expertise in assay development, excellent communication skills, and can thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. While the work centers on mammalian cells, a strong track record in designing mechanistic assays is paramount, and candidates from various related scientific fields are welcome. Proficiency in using AI tools for data analysis, workflow building, and literature synthesis is expected.

Requirements

PhD in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Chemical Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Genetics, or a related field, with 0–2 years of postdoctoral or industry experience; OR an MS with 6+ years of industry experience; OR a BS/BA with 8+ years of industry experience.
Strong track record of designing mechanistic assays that answer clear biological questions.
Hands-on experience with molecular biology and cloning.
Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture.
Hands-on experience with cell engineering (e.g., lentiviral delivery, CRISPR-based editing, stable cell line generation).
Experience developing and running assays in one or more of the following formats: flow cytometry, imaging, plate-reader assays, or NGS-based readouts.
Experience with high-throughput or pooled screening (e.g., arrayed compound screens, DMS, or CRISPR screens).
Comfort analyzing data in Python or R.
Actively use AI tools (e.g., LLM assistants and coding agents) for data analysis, workflow generation, and knowledge work.
Ability to keep careful, well-documented records suitable for data that may support regulatory filings.
Enjoy working seamlessly across functions.
Detail-oriented and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, team-oriented startup environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience with liquid-handling automation.
Familiarity with protein folding and trafficking, lysosomal biology, or Fabry disease.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and validate cell-based assays to characterize small-molecule correctors for Fabry disease and an additional target, verifying their target pharmacology using plate-reader, high-content imaging, and flow cytometry readouts.
Engineer mammalian cell models, including reporter lines, knock-in/knock-out lines, and variant libraries, using cloning and genome engineering, and adapt assays to disease-relevant primary cells.
Characterize corrector response across disease variants at scale using both arrayed and pooled formats, including deep mutational scanning (DMS) with NGS-based readouts.
Transition assays from development into high throughput production, either running them directly or handing them off with clear, reproducible SOPs, to support weekly design-make-test-learn cycles with chemistry and ML teams.
Analyze, QC, and interpret data, using AI tools to accelerate analysis, automate workflows, and synthesize the literature.
Contribute to study reports and documentation supporting regulatory submissions, including IND-enabling packages.
Collaborate closely with biologists, chemists, machine learning scientists, and automation engineers.