Senior Research Associate

Cytokinetics • South San Francisco, CA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction. We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate to join our Discovery Biology group and contribute to the early stages of our drug discovery efforts. Our team employs a broad range of innovative biochemical and cellular approaches to identify and optimize compounds that improve cardiac and skeletal muscle metabolism, regeneration, health, and contractility. The successful candidate will play an important role in designing and executing experiments that advance novel therapeutic programs aimed at improving human health.

Requirements

• BS or MS in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related scientific discipline, with 4–5+ years of research experience in academia, biotechnology, or the pharmaceutical industry.
• Hands-on experience with high-content imaging, fluorescence microscopy, and image-based assay development and execution.
• Experience performing mammalian cell transfection and working with reporter systems, fluorescently labeled proteins, or genetic constructs.
• Strong expertise in downstream molecular biology and biochemistry techniques, including Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and cell-based assays.
• Experience culturing and assaying mammalian cells, preferably skeletal muscle and/or cardiac cell models.
• Proficiency in data analysis, visualization, and interpretation using tools such as Excel, GraphPad Prism, and imaging analysis software.
• Excellent organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment to maintaining thorough and accurate laboratory documentation, including ELN records.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills with a demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and execute cellular, molecular, and biochemical assays to support target validation, hit identification and mechanism-of-action studies.
• Design and perform high-content imaging (HCI) assays using skeletal and/or cardiac muscle cell models, including image acquisition, analysis, and interpretation of complex datasets.
• Perform mammalian cell culture and routine cell maintenance, including the generation and characterization of cellular models through transfection of plasmids, reporter constructs, and labeled proteins/genes.
• Conduct downstream molecular and biochemical analyses, including Western blotting, RT-qPCR, immunofluorescence, and related techniques, to validate cellular phenotypes and mechanisms.
• Analyze experimental data using appropriate software tools and communicate results through clear written reports and verbal presentations.
• Perform literature reviews and evaluate genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic datasets to support target discovery and research strategy.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to identify, characterize, and advance therapeutic candidates through research and preclinical development.
• Maintain accurate, organized, and timely experimental records in electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs), ensuring data integrity, reproducibility, and regulatory compliance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree