Research Scientist

Job Title: Research Scientist
Location: Santa Monica, CA
Duration: 12 Months+ (Possible Extension)

Pay Range: $65.00 - $71.50/Hour. on W2
 
Job Summary:
 A Client company, is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors.
 
Discovery Research is seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist to lead characterization studies that address product efficacy and safety. The successful candidate will report to a Director and will be expected to independently design and perform experiments, organize and analyze results, and communicate and present findings in team meetings.
 
Responsibilities:

• Execution of cell-based functional and biochemical assays to select candidate molecules for clinical development or support combination strategies to enhance T cell product potency and safety
• Experimental design aimed to address basic tumor immunology aspects related to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment
• Genetic/biochemical manipulation of T cells and evaluation of impact on T cell function
• Analyze, organize and communicate results at different research and cross-functional meetings
• Plan and effectively execute experiments based on strategy, project timelines and goals
• Analyze and present scientific results to the project team in addition to cross-functional and cross-site audiences
• Document experimental results to enable subsequent clinical studies and patent applications
• May serve as a core team member or leader on a project team
• Work effectively with other functions (including Process Development, Translational Medicine, Clinical Development) to ensure alignment cross-functionally
• Coordinate tasks across multiple projects, demonstrating prioritization and planning
• May mentor junior team members and supervise the work of a research team including, but not limited to, organizing and prioritizing laboratory work and review of generated experimental results

 
Basic Qualifications:

• Advanced scientific degree (i.e. MD, PharmD, PhD)

OR

• Master’s Degree and 6+ years of scientific experience

 
Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience designing and developing primary immune cell assays using key immune cell populations
• Hands-on expertise in T-cell functional characterization assays including in vitro cxytotoxicity, proliferation, cytokine/chemokine measurements, cell signaling, activation, differentiation and exhaustion
• Proficient in cell culture aseptic technique
• Proficient in multi-parameter flow cytometry (panel design, sample acquisition, data processing) and data analysis (FACSDiva, FlowJo, GraphPad Prism, Excel)
• Experience with MSD/ELISA and/or Luminex
• Ph.D. degree in biology-related field (immunology, cellular and/or tumor biology or a closely related field)
• A strong background in cancer immunotherapy and human immunology, experience working with engineered T cells strongly preferred
• Demonstrated independence in experimental design, data analysis, interpretation, and presentation
• Maintain a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
• Drive to learn and make a meaningful impact
• Comfortable in a fast-paced company environment with minimal direction and able to adjust workload based upon changing priorities
• Strong collaboration, excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Experience using both written and verbal communication, including presentations, to communicate results to a diverse cross-functional audience
• Strong organizational and record keeping skills
• Self-motivated, strong sense of responsibility, and willing to accept temporary responsibilities outside of initial job description