Senior Research Associate, Discovery Pharmacology

Altos Labs

$109K — $140K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • BS or MS in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or related field with at least 5 years of industry experience in drug discovery.
  • Strong expertise in AAV gene therapy and cellular transduction assays, including aseptic techniques and genome titration.
  • Hands-on experience with and understanding of various analytical and bioassays, including statistical data analysis.
  • Familiarity with advanced assay technologies such as MSD, HTRF, AlphaLISA, and Luminex.
  • Experience operating automation instruments like Bravo and Echo, and proficient with digital dispensers.
  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written, with attention to detail and organization.

Responsibilities

  • Collaborate with the scientific manager to advance drug discovery projects independently and as a team member.
  • Culture and maintain mammalian cell lines while managing lab reagents and maintenance tasks.
  • Design, optimize, and troubleshoot a range of biological assays including cellular and biochemical assays.
  • Standardize assay protocols and draft SOPs for consistency and compliance.
  • Document experimental methods and results conscientiously in an electronic laboratory notebook.
  • Prepare and present data at project meetings to facilitate informed decision-making.
  • Dedicate approximately 80% of your time to hands-on lab work.

Benefits

  • Collaborative work environment focused on transformative medicine.
  • Opportunities to contribute directly to drug discovery campaigns related to aging and rejuvenation.
  • Engagement in innovative research supporting advanced therapeutic development.
  • Flexibility to work both independently and within a team setting on meaningful projects.
  • Access to state-of-the-art technology and methodologies in a cutting-edge field.
Full Job Description
What You Will Contribute To Altos

At Altos, your work will be at the heart of our mission to transform medicine by reversing disease and restoring cellular health. You will help develop a new generation of therapeutics rooted in an advanced understanding of cellular rejuvenation and resilience.

We are currently seeking a highly capable and motivated Senior Research Associate to join our Discovery Pharmacology team. In this role, your primary focus will be supporting critical drug discovery and development projects by executing a wide range of biological and bioanalytical assays. We are looking for a dedicated team player who values collaborative success and open communication. Your expertise will directly advance our drug discovery campaigns across a diverse portfolio, making a significant impact on aging biology, rejuvenation, and the future of medicine.

Responsibilities
  • Work both independently and collaboratively with the scientific manager to drive drug discovery and development projects.
  • Culture and maintain mammalian cells, manage reagents and working stocks in addition to contributing to general lab maintenance.
  • Design, optimize, automate, execute, and troubleshoot a range of assays, including cellular, biochemical, and complex in vitro bioassays.
  • Standardize and optimize assay protocols and draft assay SOPs.
  • Document assay methods, raw data, and results in an electronic laboratory notebook (ELN), ensuring reproducibility and data integrity.
  • Make presentations and present data at project team meetings to support decision making.
  • The responsibilities of this role are expected to require ~80% of time dedicated to benchtop science.
Who You Are

Required Qualifications
  • BS or MS in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, or a related discipline, and a minimum of 5 years of industry experience in a drug discovery and/or development setting.
  • Strong expertise in technical methods in AAV gene therapy for cellular transduction assays (aseptic technique), genome titration (qPCR, ddPCR), transgene expression (RT-qPCR, ddPCR), and protein analysis (Western Blot, ELISA, and capillary electrophoresis).
  • Good understanding and hands-on experience developing and performing a wide range of analytical and bioassays with fluency in data analysis and application of statistical modalities.
  • Experience in state-of-art assay technologies such as MSD, HTRF, AlphaLISA, Luminex, etc.
  • Hands on experience in automation instruments and platforms (e.g. Bravo, Echo, I.DOT, Digital dispenser, etc.).
  • Proficient in documenting experimental design, analysis and interpretation of data in ELN.
  • Excellent data presentation, oral and written communication skills.
  • Detail-oriented, organized, flexible, and capable of multitasking in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience working across diverse therapeutic modalities, including viral based gene therapy, mRNA-LNP or other nucleic acid therapeutics, and small molecules.
  • Background in the field of aging/rejuvenation biology.
  • Familiarity with assay qualification criteria, processes, and SOP authoring.

The salary range for Redwood City:
  • Senior Research Associate: $109,200 - $140,000

Exact compensation may vary based on skills, experience, and location.

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