Senior Scientist/Biochemistry

Job Description: Scientist II/Biochemistry
Do you want to grow a company that positively impacts the world? Aria Pharmaceuticals is seeking an enthusiastic, motivated, and capable individual with expertise in enzymology, biochemistry, assay development and compound screening. Core responsibilities include biochemical assay development, small molecule lead series screening and routine testing of compounds in a variety of assays. The successful candidate will have a PhD and extensive knowledge and experience in the drug discovery and optimization process, with at least 5 years of experience working as a Research Scientist in a drug discovery organization. The successful candidate will work as part of a collaborative team of scientists with expertise in protein production and biophysics supporting hit-to-lead, lead-optimization, and IND candidate selection for various drug discovery programs.

About us:
Aria Pharmaceuticals (formerly twoXAR Pharmaceuticals) is a preclinical-stage pharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel small molecule therapies for complex and hard-to-treat diseases. Too many patients today are in need of breakthrough treatments across many complicated diseases – they can’t wait. That’s why at Aria, we have redefined the drug discovery approach, saving years in the process and increasing success rates 30 times higher than traditional methods. At Aria, we’ve shown promise across a diverse range of therapeutic areas with the ability to address over 1,000 diseases.

Responsibilities

• Work with Nonclinical R&D team and CROs in identifying, designing in vitro biochemical assays, validation and qualification for screening of small molecules synthesized during hit-lead and lead optimization stages.
• In collaboration with CROs and group members, design protein constructs for use in biochemical assays.
• Contribute to evaluation, optimization and assist in management of external biology CRO resources
• Be able to troubleshoot, develop technical solutions and optimize experiments at CROs for robust data output
• Carefully document research workflows, data and protocols.
• Capture experimental results in database.
• Prepare data summaries and reports for sharing with twoXAR Nonclinical R&D and management teams
• Work with Nonclinical R&D teams to prepare data summaries and reports needed for IND preparation and submission

Requirements

• Deep knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry, and the drug discovery process, particularly lead validation through lead optimization stages
• Strong problem-solving and data analysis skills
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet aggressive project timelines
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with various levels of working teams and management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proactive, highly motivated, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in enzymology, biochemistry, molecular or cell biology or related discipline with 5-8 years of industry experience.
• Expertise in in vitro biochemical assay design and development in multiple enzyme formats (FRET, FP, fluorometric, colorimetric, ELISA, etc.), medium-throughput compound library screening, and testing of small molecules for determining inhibition/binding.
• Application of mathematical binding/inhibition models to determine small molecule mechanism of action (cooperativity, competitive/non-competitive, etc.).
• Experience in developing and utilizing biochemical screening assays to support drug discovery lead optimization programs
• Proficient in relevant programs for data analysis and visualization, e.g. GraphPad Prism, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word
• Experience working with CROs to manage assay design, execution, and data analysis

Aria Pharmaceuticals is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.