Eikon Therapeutics is a new biopharmaceutical company employing revolutionary technology at the intersection of chemistry, engineering, computation, and biology to discover novel treatments for life-threatening diseases. Eikon’s discovery platform is built on groundbreaking innovations from its founders (Nobel Prize, 2014), culminating in the creation of microscopes which enable real time, molecular-resolution measurements of protein movement in living cells, thereby unlocking otherwise intractable classes of proteins as drug targets.

Position 

As Associate Director, Biology (Cellular Assays), you will lead a team of talented scientists with the goal of developing novel cellular readouts to advance small molecule drug discovery programs.  The successful candidate will have a strong background in implementing cell-based assays to support compound optimization as well as extensive leadership experience in a biotech/pharmaceutical setting.  Additionally, this candidate will embrace new technologies and innovative approaches for using cellular readouts to progress the Eikon drug discovery pipeline.    

About You

You're an accomplished cell biologist with extensive experience in leveraging cellular readouts for small molecule drug discovery, driving hit identification, and optimizing leads. Known for your innovative approach, you thrive in dynamic environments and are keen on expanding cellular assay capabilities. You stay updated on the latest technologies in cell biology and excel in collaborative, multidisciplinary team settings, with strong communication and interpersonal skills.

What You’ll Do 

  • Lead the Cellular Assay group in the design, development, validation and implementation of cell-based readout for profiling small molecule compounds.
  • Guide teams in establishing workflows of cellular assays to support a variety of small molecule drug discovery programs.
  • Advance departmental capabilities with an eye towards innovating cell-based assay approaches to support Eikon drug-discovery projects.
  • Manage resources and timelines to ensure rapid generation of high-quality cell-based data to drive optimization of small molecule compounds.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams including medicinal chemistry, biology and preclinical development to advance the Eikon drug discovery portfolio.
  • Lead and collaborate closely with cross-functional teams fostering a collaborative and innovative scientific environment while mentoring team members.
  • Participate as a senior leader in strategic planning and resource allocation meetings to ensure successful achievement of project and company goals.

Qualifications 

  • Typically requires a minimum of 10+ years of experience with a Bachelor's Degree, or 8+ years experience with a postgraduate degree.
  • Demonstrated ability to develop and implement cellular assays for target validation, hit identification, and lead optimization.
  • Experience in evaluating and implementing new technologies to increase the efficiency and impact of cellular readouts for drug discovery.
  • Experience with a variety of cell-based assay readouts, including fluorescence-based assays, high-content imaging, MesoScale Discovery, CETSA and other state-of-the art assay formats.
  • An exemplary track record of impacting all stages of the drug discovery process utilizing cell biology/cellular readouts.
  • Substantial leadership experience in conceptualizing, leading, and executing complex experiments at the intersection of biology and technology. 
  • Experience in building and managing high functioning teams with diverse levels of experience.
  • Demonstrated ability to grow and develop the careers of team members.
  • Outstanding communication skills, facilitating clear conveyance of complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. 
  • Ability to build open and collaborative cross-functional relationships is essential.

At Eikon, employee compensation also includes bonus and equity compensation, in addition to several generous benefit programs, including:​

  • 401k plan with company matching​
  • Medical (premiums covered by Eikon at 95%), dental and vision insurance (premiums covered by Eikon at 100%)​
  • Mental health and wellness benefits​
  • Weeklong summer and winter holiday shutdowns​
  • Generous paid time off and holiday policies​
  • Life/AD&D Insurance (premiums covered by Eikon at 100%) and optional supplemental employee-paid life/AD&D policies ​
  • Enhanced parental leave benefit​
  • Daily subsidized lunch program when on-site​

The expected salary range for this role is $172,000 to $188,100 depending on skills, competency, and the market demand for your expertise.

Eikon is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment.

In accordance with the Company’s duty to provide and maintain a safe workplace, the Company requires all employees to be Fully Vaccinated with one of the FDA approved COVID-19 vaccines, which includes those vaccines that have received the FDA’s emergency use authorization. You will be expected to be Fully Vaccinated as of your Start Date. If you believe that you are exempt from this requirement under an applicable law or regulations, including Americans with Disabilities Act and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, you will need to contact the Company’s Human Resources group. For purposes of this section, Fully Vaccinated means (i) the completion of the vaccination regimen as approved by the FDA (by way of example, 2 doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and 1 dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine), and (ii) timely receiving booster vaccination, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

We are currently not accepting any new third-party agencies or firms at this time. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our website, employees or Human Resources. Eikon Therapeutics will not pay fees to any third-party agency or firm associated with unsolicited resumes.

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