What are the responsibilities and job description for the Scientist I/II position at VC-backed biotech startup?
Title: Scientist I/II, Early Discovery
Reports to: Principal Scientist, Early Discovery
Stage: Stealth Series A Biotech
Location: South San Francisco, CA
Role Overview
We are a stealth Series A therapeutics company seeking a highly motivated Scientist with a strong background in immunology to support our early discovery efforts spanning target identification to clinical candidate nomination. The ideal candidate enjoys a fast-paced start-up environment, with a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and independently to support program goals and timelines. In this role, you will design and execute in vitro screening assays to support target validation, lead selection and contribute to preclinical efficacy, safety, and mechanism-of-action studies.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop scalable functional assays using human primary immune cells to predict therapeutic activity and inform lead selection
- Manage in vitro and in vivo immunology studies to support target discovery, validation, and preclinical development
- Contribute deep expertise in inflammatory and autoimmune disease biology to experimental design and data-driven program strategy
- Work cross-functionally with protein sciences and pre-clinical development to support program development
- Establish expertise in relevant fields and propose new scientific directions by staying up to date
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in immunology, cell biology, or a related field with 0-3 years of relevant industry experience
- Demonstrated track record of independently leading research projects as evidenced by multiple first-author publications
- Strong expertise in immune cell biology (innate and adaptive), cell signaling, and immunological assay development, preferably in the context of antibody therapeutics
- Hands-on experience with relevant techniques, including human primary cell assay development and multiparametric flow cytometry
- Exceptional organizational skills, rigorous attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a dynamic and fast-paced environment
- Self-starter with strong scientific curiosity and excellent interpersonal skills
- Desire and willingness to grow and be a key contributor in building company culture
- Must be willing to work onsite 5 days a week
The estimated base salary range for this position is $101,000 - $151,000. Actual pay will be based on several factors including experience and qualifications.
Salary : $101,000 - $151,000