Scientist, Mechanistic Biology

tl;dr

General Proximity is a seed-stage startup developing the next generation of induced proximity medicines (IPMs). Our OmniTAC drug discovery engine furnishes molecules that co-opt existing cellular machinery to overcome therapeutic challenges, which have remained unapproachable to other modalities for decades.

We are seeking a first-rate mechanistic biologist to help us pioneer this uncharted frontier of drug discovery.

The Position

We are seeking an experienced mechanistic biologist to join our Discovery Biology Team. In this position, you will work closely with our Platform and Chemistry Teams to drive mechanistic understanding of our lead compounds and support core drug discovery efforts. This is an opportunity to help elucidate novel pharmacological mechanisms of our next-gen IPMs.

Your responsibilities will include designing and executing mechanistic studies on hit compounds, dissecting signaling pathways to map compound mechanism of action, interrogating protein-protein interactions, preparing and analyzing NGS libraries, and developing and deploying functional cell-based assays to characterize novel pharmacology.

About You

• High Agency. Initiative, independence, and self-accountability are some of our most valued traits.
• Enthusiastic. We love people who are excited about what they are doing and are generally attempting to build a high-energy team.

• Intensity and Grit.
• Early-stage startups are hard.
• Drug discovery is doubly so.
• We are looking for candidates who have a demonstrated ability to stick with complex problems for the long haul, with a team that has your back along the way.

• Prosocial.
• We are here to create life-saving medicines for the patients who need it most.
• You should be, too.

Qualifications & Nice-To-Haves

• BS, MS or PhD in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, or related field.
• Candidates without a PhD should have 5-7+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Previous experience elucidating novel biology underlying small-molecule mechanism of action in a drug discovery context.
• Top-notch written and oral communication skills.
• Strong experience with:
• Cellular and molecular biology, including extensive experience with mammalian cell line work and associated assays, stable cell line generation (lentiviral and CRISPR-based systems), co-IP/pull-down assays, RNA-seq, global proteomics, flow cytometry, plasmid design/cloning, etc.
• Small molecule drug development campaigns (hit discovery, hit validation, dose-response studies, SAR and MOA studies)
• Mechanistic studies of cell signaling, pathway analysis, and PTM analysis
• Protein-protein interaction techniques (e.g., BRET, APEX/BioID, AlphaScreen, etc.)
• NGS library prep, sequencing, and analysis
• Nice to have:
• Experience with PROTAC/next-gen IPM technologies
• Experience working at the interface of mechanistic biology and chemistry
• Experience working on teams that have successfully advanced research to the clinic
• Experience managing CROs

Benefits

• Strong equity incentives. We are looking for candidates who will bring a strong sense of ownership to drive their project areas forward, and we believe that you deserve to be compensated accordingly.
• Top tier medical, dental, and vision coverage + One Medical membership.
• 401(k) retirement plans.
• Education and health/fitness incentive programs.
• Meditation retreats-do a ten-day Vipassana retreat without counting towards vacation days.
• Reading budget! We will buy you books.
• Located in the MBC BioLabs at 135 Mississippi Street, an entrepreneurial hub full of the best scientists and operators the Bay Area has to offer. Our lab is a very short walk from the 22nd St Caltrain Station and a number of wonderful restaurants and cafés.