About the RoleWe're seeking a driven and highly skilled Senior Scientist to build and execute on our high throughput biology capabilities. In this role, you will be the in-house expert on high throughput assay development and execution - designing and running biochemical and cell-based assays in 384-well format, designing and deploying liquid handling automation and robotics, and turning large compound screening datasets into clear, actionable scientific insights.
You'll partner closely with the rest of our biology team along with medicinal chemistry to enable every stage of small molecule discovery from primary screening through hit-to-lead and lead optimization and you'll play a central role in shaping how we run our screening platform as the company scales.
If you're someone who loves the challenge of making an assay work at scale and is energized by generating and analyzing large high-quality data sets, we want to hear from you.
You willAssay Development & Screening
- Design, develop, miniaturize, and validate biochemical and cell-based assays in 384-well and higher-density formats to support primary screening, counterscreening, and selectivity profiling.
- Execute high throughput screening (HTS) campaigns against compound libraries and follow-up dose-response studies to characterize hit compounds and support hit-to-lead progression.
- Develop and optimize assays to support lead optimization cycles, including potency, selectivity, mechanism of action, and relevant cellular endpoints tied to aging biology.
- Apply rigorous assay development principles (Z' factor, signal-to-background, coefficient of variation) to ensure robust, reproducible, and HTS-ready assay performance.
- Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve assay performance issues; continuously improve throughput and data quality across the screening platform while looking for cost savings.
Lab Automation & Platform Operations
- Operate, program, and maintain liquid handling and automation equipment including the Echo 650, Bravo, and integrated robotic workstations.
- Develop and optimize automation protocols for compound dispensing, reagent addition, plate washing, and detection to maximize throughput and minimize variability.
- Manage compound libraries and plate maps; coordinate with chemistry to ensure accurate compound tracking, dilution series, and QC for screening campaigns.
Data Analysis
- Write and maintain Python scripts and pipelines to process, analyze, visualize, and report large-scale screening datasets, including hit identification and dose-response curve fitting.
- Maintain accurate and well-documented ELN records for all screening experiments and present to cross-functional teams and leadership.
You're a good fit if you have (required)- PhD in biology, biochemistry, chemical biology, or a closely related field.
- 3-5 years of industry experience in a drug discovery setting, with a primary focus on high throughput biology, assay development, or screening sciences.
- Demonstrated expertise in developing and running biochemical and cell-based assays in 384-well plate format for HTS and hit-to-lead.
- Hands-on experience operating and programming lab automation equipment, including acoustic dispensers (Echo 650), automated deck-based systems (Bravo), and integrated robotic liquid handling platforms.
- Proficiency in Python for data analysis and visualization, including experience building scripts or pipelines to process large, complex screening datasets.
- Strong understanding of assay quality metrics (Z' factor, S/B, CV) and compound interference mechanisms.
- Excellent scientific communication and cross-functional collaboration skills; comfortable presenting screening results and data-driven recommendations to a mixed scientific audience.
- Comfort operating independently in a fast-paced startup environment, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple screening campaigns simultaneously.
Bonus Points For- Experience with assay technologies highly relevant to aging or age-related disease biology, including senescence assays, mitochondrial function, proteostasis, or longevity pathway readouts.
- Experience with phenotypic or image-based screening, high content imaging (HCI), and associated image analysis workflows.
- Familiarity with cheminformatics tools and data integration with medicinal chemistry platforms.
- Comfort with cutting-edge data analysis approaches, large datasets, and a curiosity about how AI and machine learning can augment screening science.
Location & Logistics- Visa sponsorship available where applicable. We'll work with you to make it happen.
- This role will be located at Redwood LIFE in Redwood City, CA, a modern and stunning life sciences complex in the Bay Area.
- Start date: immediate.
Compensation & benefitsWe offer a highly competitive salary, meaningful equity, and comprehensive benefits, including medical and dental coverage, company-provided lunch, 401k match, and others.
