Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist, Induced Proximity

Nurix • Brisbane, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Nurix Therapeutics is seeking a motivated scientist to support and help execute its non-degradative induced proximity research strategy. The role contributes hands-on scientific expertise to programs beyond targeted protein degradation, advancing target validation, mechanism characterization, and candidate optimization. The scientist will work closely with the Senior Vice President of Induced Proximity and partners in chemistry, biology, and biochemistry to translate strategic priorities into experimental plans, generate and interpret data for go/no-go decisions, and contribute ideas about emerging modalities and technologies. The position offers exposure to platform-level strategic decision-making and the opportunity to grow scientific and potentially leadership experience in a fast-evolving area of drug discovery.

The position is onsite in Brisbane, California. Nurix Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing targeted protein degradation medicines for cancer and inflammatory diseases. Its discovery engine integrates AI and draws on the company’s ligase expertise.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of relevant industry drug discovery experience, including significant direct work on induced proximity modalities such as targeted protein degradation, molecular glues, or bifunctional degraders.
• Hands-on experience developing biophysical and biochemical assays to quantify ternary complex formation and cooperativity, using methods such as TR-FRET/HTRF, NanoBRET, AlphaLISA, SPR, ITC, MST, or DSF.
• Experience developing biochemical assays for relevant proximity-induced reactions, such as ubiquitination, phosphorylation, or acetylation.
• Cell-based mechanistic pharmacology experience, including Western blot, HiBiT/NanoLuc kinetic readouts, flow cytometry, reporter assays, and dose-response and washout/resynthesis studies to establish on-target mechanism.
• Experience with cell-line engineering and functional genomics, including CRISPR knockout/knock-in, CRISPRa/CRISPRi, and siRNA, to validate targets and interrogate effector dependencies.
• Experience with target-engagement and protein-stability methods such as CETSA, NanoBRET target engagement, co-IP/pulldown, and cycloheximide-chase or half-life measurement.
• Deep mechanistic understanding of ternary complex biology and cooperativity; ubiquitin–proteasome and autophagy–lysosomal pathways; non-degradative proximity mechanisms; and structure-based drug design.
• Experience with rigorous experimental design and quantitative data analysis, including assay qualification and QC (such as Z′ and dynamic range), curve fitting in GraphPad Prism or equivalent, screening-data handling (Genedata Screener or similar), and disciplined ELN documentation.
• Strong track record of cross-functional collaboration with biology, chemistry, and DMPK teams.
• Excellent scientific communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership.
• Ability to collaborate across organizational groups, strong organization and presentation skills, self-direction, enthusiasm, curiosity, flexibility to learn, creativity, productivity, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Publication record and/or patents in induced proximity or targeted degradation.
• Experience with computational tools for ternary complex prediction or AI/ML-driven drug design.
• Familiarity with non-degradative modalities beyond classical bifunctional degraders, such as glues, LYTACs, AUTACs, MrTACs, RIPTACs, TCIPs, Tracers, and DACs.
• The preferred qualifications also describe a Ph.D. in a relevant scientific field with at least 4 years of relevant postgraduate industry or academic research experience, or an M.S. with at least 8 years of relevant industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and troubleshoot bench experiments, including biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based assays to interrogate induced proximity mechanisms and inform program decisions.
• Contribute to identifying, validating, and prioritizing targets suitable for induced proximity approaches, including protein sequestration, gene regulation, and stabilization.
• Evaluate new and emerging induced proximity modalities and contribute to the strategic roadmap.
• Partner with computational and structural biology teams to advance rational design and predictive modeling of ternary complex formation.
• Present experimental data, interpretations, and recommendations to project teams and executive leadership.
• Help ensure programs meet key milestones from discovery through candidate nomination and IND-enabling work.
• Stay current on the competitive and scientific landscape, and publish or present externally as needed to build company visibility.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree