To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, abilities, and prior experience required.
- BS in Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry or a related field with 7+ years of relevant biopharmaceutical industry experience, or an MS with 5+ years.
- Direct, hands-on experience developing and running AlphaScreen and/or AlphaLISA assays, including troubleshooting signal window, hook effect and compound interference.
- Demonstrated track record of developing and validating biochemical binding assays for medium- to high-throughput screening in 384- and/or 1536-well formats.
- Proficiency with liquid handlers and plate-based workflows (e.g., i5 BIOMEK, Tempest or similar) and multimode plate readers capable of Alpha detection (e.g., EnVision, PHERAstar).
- Familiarity with high-content imaging equipment such as the Operetta CLS.
- Sound understanding of binding kinetics and pharmacology: Kd, Ki, IC50, Cheng–Prusoff, and the assumptions behind them.
- Strong data analysis skills, including curve fitting and assay statistics (e.g., GraphPad Prism, Genedata Screener or equivalent).
- Excellent documentation practices in an electronic lab notebook.
- Experience with cell culture and cell-based assays supporting drug screening.
- Strong attention to detail and scientific rigor, including catching data-quality issues early and questioning unexpected results before reporting them.
- Proactive, transparent communicator who works independently day to day while collaborating closely with chemistry and biology teams.
Required Qualifications
- Experience operating and maintaining automated compound/sample storage systems (e.g., Brooks/Azenta, Hamilton Storage, or similar), including inventory management, cherry-picking and plate reformatting.
- Experience with orthogonal binding and proximity formats — HTRF/TR-FRET, fluorescence polarization, SPR or BLI — for hit confirmation.
- Experience with integrated robotic screening systems and scheduling software.
- Experience screening against integrins, other cell-surface receptors or protein–protein interaction targets.
- Scripting or automation skills for data processing (e.g., Python, R, or KNIME).
The annual base salary for this role is $125K – $138K. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation job-related skills, experience, work location and relevant education or training. Pliant’s compensation package also includes benefits, equity, and annual target bonus for fulltime positions.
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