Scientist II - Biology

Olema Oncology•San Francisco, CA

5h•$150,000 - $165,000•Onsite

About The Position

Olema Oncology is seeking a talented and innovative Scientist II to join the Research Biology team as a screening specialist. Responsibilities of this position will include developing biology specific strategies for early-stage research projects, development and execution of biochemical and/or cellular phenotypic screening assays of new drug candidates as well as management and mentorship of junior scientists within the team. You will be responsible for conducting experiments to generate high quality data and communicate these results regularly within our project teams. You will work collaboratively within the research team to assist in the conduct of early-stage research, the goal of which is the identification of New Chemical Entities (NCEs). The Scientist II in our Research Biology organization will support adherence to all regulatory requirements and company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The final level may be adjusted based on the experience of the candidate. This role is based out of our San Francisco office and requires approximately 10% travel.

Requirements

PhD. in Cancer Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, or a related field
3+ years of relevant industry experience, preferably in small molecule drug discovery
Prior experience with in vitro assay development, execution, and optimization for drug screening, ideally within a drug discovery setting
Experience in designing and delivering biology strategies for research projects
Excellent and proven project management skills
Complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, concepts and techniques
Knowledge of and ability to use standard molecular and cell biology techniques are required, for example, Western blotting, microscopy, plate-based assays and qRT-PCR
Aseptic mammalian cell culture experienced is required
Knowledge of breast cancer and/or cancer signaling pathways preferred
Knowledge of scientific principles and concepts, and current on relevant scientific literature
Good general knowledge of other related disciplines
Ability to read, analyze and interpret common scientific and technical journals
Strong publication track record in oncology, biochemistry and/or drug discovery
Experience working with high throughput screening with robotic liquid-handling automation tools is required
Proficiency with Microsoft Office. Proficiency with GraphPad Prism, or other analytical software
Excellent verbal and written communication and skills
Analytical thinking with problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines
Effective planning, organization and time management skills including the ability to support and prioritize multiple projects
A commitment to excellence
A self-motivated, flexible and enthusiastic team player who is excited about advancing new medicines and delivering impactful drugs
Teamwork and collaboration; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone's efforts to succeed; shares expertise with others
Entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to prioritize key work-streams and requirements that will change over the near and mid-term
A demonstrated ability to make decisions on incomplete information and in areas where a high degree of professional judgment is required
Be a “difference maker” in terms of one’s professionalism and contributions
Have impeccable professional ethics, integrity and judgment
Be collegial, hard-working, confident, a self-starter and have a passion for results

Nice To Haves

Experience with assay miniaturization and optimization preferred
Experience working with Dotmatics or similar database/ELN software is preferred
Data Science/Informatics skills and experience is preferred

Responsibilities

Design, optimization and execution of primary screening experiments, the goal of which is the identification of additional hits and new chemical scaffolds
Provide support for lead optimization by screening compounds and/or supporting structure activity relationship (SAR) studies involving the characterization of the biological activity of compounds in various assays
Presentation and communication of results as part of multi-disciplinary team(s)
Manage and program automated systems (liquid handlers etc) for medium/high throughput screening assays
Assist in the identification/validation of new targets for drug discovery programs
Mentor junior team members
Work cross-functionally within the Research team, design and communicate Biology strategy and workflows to progress projects from hit to lead onwards
Apply relevant scientific principles and techniques to research problems
Maintain detailed electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) and record results in a timely manner
Maintain knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and techniques
Present findings internally and externally and contribute to the publication of the work of the project team
May contribute to the development of patent applications as appropriate
Comply with all safety requirements
General lab duties as assigned