Scientist I, Translational Biomarkers

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals•Madison, WI

4h•$90,000 - $115,000

About The Position

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARWR) is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company that develops medicines that treat intractable diseases by silencing the genes that cause them. Using a broad portfolio of RNA chemistries and efficient modes of delivery, Arrowhead therapies trigger the RNA interference mechanism to induce rapid, deep, and durable knockdown of target genes. RNA interference, or RNAi, is a mechanism present in living cells that inhibits the expression of a specific gene, thereby affecting the production of a specific protein. Arrowhead’s RNAi-based therapeutics leverage this natural pathway of gene silencing. Arrowhead is focused on developing innovative drugs for diseases with a genetic basis, typically characterized by the overproduction of one or more proteins that are involved with disease. The depth and versatility of our RNAi technologies enables us to potentially address conditions in virtually any therapeutic area and pursue disease targets that are not otherwise addressable by small molecules and biologics. Arrowhead is leading the field in bringing the promise of RNAi to address diseases outside of the liver, and our clinical pipeline includes disease targets in the liver and lung with a promising pipeline of preclinical candidates. Arrowhead’s corporate headquarters is in Pasadena, CA with research and development teams in Madison, WI & San Diego, CA, and a state of the art manufacturing facility in Verona, WI. Our employees are nimble, science-driven innovators who are collaborating to bring new therapies to patients in need. The Position Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is seeking a highly motivated Scientist I, Translational Biomarkers to support the development and implementation of biomarker assays that advance our clinical-stage drug development programs. This role will focus on designing, optimizing, and executing ligand binding assays, qPCR assays, and protein quantification methods (including LC/MS and IP-LC/MS) to measure analytes in physiological matrices. The Scientist I will work extensively with clinical samples, ensuring rigorous assay performance, regulatory-compliant documentation, and high-quality data generation to support translational research and clinical trials. The ideal candidate brings strong expertise in molecular and cellular biology techniques, hands-on experience with protein characterization and LC/MS workflows, and the ability to independently troubleshoot laboratory processes and instrumentation. This individual will contribute to data interpretation, technical reporting, and cross-functional collaboration while maintaining high laboratory productivity, accurate record keeping, and adherence to chain-of-custody and regulatory standards in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Biology or related field and a minimum of 8 years of experience in cell biology, molecular biology, immunology, pharmacology, or a related field of biology (Or Master’s degree and 5 years of experience)
Experience in standard cellular and molecular biology techniques (i.e, Cell culture, Ligand Binding assays , Cell-based assays, Immunofluorescence, Western blotting, Microscopy, RNA/DNA isolation, qPCR)
Experience in protein LC/MS and related laboratory techniques
Demonstrated innovation, creativity and resilience in problem solving
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Self-motivated team player with the ability to thrive in a fast paced, multi-disciplinary, matrixed environment
Proficient with Microsoft Suite Applications (i.e. Excel, Word)
Demonstrated ability to learn and apply novel technologies

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Biology or related field
Experience working in GCLP like environments

Responsibilities

Plan, conduct and contribute to the development, implementation optimization and interpretation of Ligand Binding Assays and qPCR assays for quantitation of analytes in physiological matrices to facilitate drug development and testing in clinical trials
Perform protein extractions and characterize/quantify the protein target(s) using LC/MS and IP-LC/MS
Work with clinical samples and perform laboratory qualified assays flawlessly
Excellent laboratory work notebook record keeping
Maintain a high level of productivity in the lab, identify streamlining/efficiency opportunities, and perform critical experiments
Independently troubleshoot laboratory equipment
Follow regulatory guidance in assay implementation, documentation and report writing
Apply relevant scientific literature to projects to troubleshoot and solve problems
Identify relevant scientific literature to influence the design and development of assays
May be asked to prepare, with little oversight, and present research findings to project teams and working group meeting
Prepare technical reports
Adapt to change and prioritize study deliverables as necessary
Train group members to perform non-routine assays
Maintain laboratory equipment, reagents, and sample inventories, including but not limited to; cleaning, calibration, and record keeping
May lead a team
Follow chain-of-custody requirements for clinical samples
Oversees sample registry or plays a role in implementation of the registry