Senior Scientist, Oncology Target ID & Validation

Flagship Pioneering•Boston, MA

About The Position

ProFound Therapeutics is seeking a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join our Oncology team, focused on target identification and validation. This is an early PhD–level, hands-on, individual contributor role, well suited for a scientist a few years out of postdoctoral training with some prior oncology industry experience. The successful candidate will play a key role in identifying and validating novel cancer targets by combining functional genomics, cell-based assays, and mechanistic biology. This role requires a strong foundation in cancer biology, excellent experimental execution, and the ability to work collaboratively across discovery, computational biology, and chemistry interfaces.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related discipline.
Several years of postdoctoral training, with some prior industry experience in oncology research strongly preferred.
Strong foundation in cancer biology and experience designing and executing in vitro target identification and validation studies.
Hands-on experience with functional genomics approaches, including CRISPR-based gene perturbation.
Proficiency in molecular and cellular biology techniques (e.g., Western blotting, qPCR, ELISA, cell-based assays).
Experience developing and running cell-based assays for target validation or pharmacology applications.
Familiarity with large-scale biological datasets and comfort collaborating with computational scientists.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and commitment to excellent record keeping and data integrity.
Clear written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with or managing external CROs.
Familiarity with compound library screening concepts and workflows, and comfort interacting with medicinal chemistry teams.
Experience in early-stage biotech or drug discovery environments.

Responsibilities

Identify and help prioritize novel oncology targets using functional genomics approaches (e.g., CRISPR-based perturbation) and analysis of large-scale proprietary and public datasets.
Design and execute in vitro target validation studies, including target modulation, knockdown/knockout, and mechanistic experiments.
Perform and interpret molecular and cellular assays to assess target function (e.g., Western blotting, qPCR, ELISA).
Develop robust cell-based assays to evaluate potency, selectivity, and mechanism of action (MoA) in support of early discovery programs.
Contribute to in vitro pharmacology efforts, including assay development and data interpretation to inform target quality and tractability.
Collaborate closely with computational biology colleagues to integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and functional screening data into experimental design and biological interpretation.
Interface with medicinal chemistry partners as needed to support screening activities and early discovery efforts, including familiarity with compound library screening concepts and assay requirements.
Support and help manage work conducted at external CROs, including experimental planning, data review, and routine scientific communication.
Maintain rigorous experimental documentation, data organization, and reporting in electronic laboratory notebooks.
Present data clearly and effectively in team meetings and cross-functional forums.