What are the responsibilities and job description for the Scientist position at Planet Pharma?
Target PR Range: 34-44/hr DOE
The ideal candidate is a recent PhD graduate in Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field, with strong quantitative and analytical skills and a demonstrated ability to quickly learn and adapt in a laboratory environment. This role is best suited for early-career scientists (0-2 years of postdoctoral or industry experience) who bring a solid foundation in scientific reasoning and data analysis, rather than extensive prior industry experience. The hiring team is seeking a highly adaptable and trainable individual who can be developed in-house on specific assay development techniques, particularly within cellular target engagement workflows. Candidates should be comfortable working hands-on in a lab setting, interpreting experimental data, and contributing to assay development efforts, while being open to learning new methodologies and aligning with established team processes.
With limited supervision, plans and conducts experiments, records and analyzes data, and ensures reliable results.
Position Responsibilities Include
The ideal candidate is a recent PhD graduate in Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field, with strong quantitative and analytical skills and a demonstrated ability to quickly learn and adapt in a laboratory environment. This role is best suited for early-career scientists (0-2 years of postdoctoral or industry experience) who bring a solid foundation in scientific reasoning and data analysis, rather than extensive prior industry experience. The hiring team is seeking a highly adaptable and trainable individual who can be developed in-house on specific assay development techniques, particularly within cellular target engagement workflows. Candidates should be comfortable working hands-on in a lab setting, interpreting experimental data, and contributing to assay development efforts, while being open to learning new methodologies and aligning with established team processes.
With limited supervision, plans and conducts experiments, records and analyzes data, and ensures reliable results.
Position Responsibilities Include
- Develop and optimize bioassays to ensure successful implementation and routine execution, supporting high-throughput screening (HTS), hit characterization & assessment, lead optimization, and mechanism-of-action (MOA) studies.
- Design and conduct laboratory experiments, generate and interpret data to facilitate the development of assays and evaluate therapeutic agents.
- Learn, apply, and integrate automation solutions during assay development, MOA studies, data analysis, and reporting processes.
- Design, optimize, and implement workflows for cell line generation to enable the development of cell-based assay for screening and/or lead optimization.
- Plan and execute experiments semi-independently and adapt readily to evolving project needs.
- Identify, evaluate, and implement novel methods and techniques to develop robust bioassays, generating reliable and reproducible data efficiently.
- Stay current with the latest scientific literature and actively contribute to the interpretation of results.
- Experience in collaborative work within a multi-disciplinary team in a biopharmaceutical environment.
- Strong scientific foundation in understanding and implementing various bioassays and readouts, including TR-FRET, BRET, Alpha, MSD, HCS, luminescence, and fluorescence.
- Expertise in the development and implementation of target engagement (TE), activity, functional, and phenotypic, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) assays to assess therapeutic agents, including thermal shift assay (TSA), probe displacement, second messenger, ion flux, reporter, protein stability, PPI (NanoBiT, NanoBRET, etc.), immunoassays, gene activation, and cellular imaging.
- Extensive experience in the functional and phenotypic characterization of engineered cells with analytical techniques, including DNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and Western Blots.
- Experience in a variety of bioassays on more physiologically relevant cellular models such as iPSCs, 3D-culture, co-culture, and primary cells.
- Competence in setting up and operating multimode plate readers (e.g., PHERAstar, CLARIOstar, FLIPR, EnVision) and automated liquid handlers (e.g., Echo, Dragonfly, Multidrop Combi, Bravo, BioTek Plate Washer, BlueWasher) for the development of 384- and/or 1536-well microtiter plate assays.
- Familiarity with software and statistical platforms necessary for analyzing large data sets, including Screener and Spotfire.