Director of cell biology job description

Director/Senior Director, Cell Biology
We are seeking an experienced and talented cell biologist to lead the Cell Biology group at FibroGen. This position will report to the Vice President, Research and will be responsible for directing cell-based studies in support of projects at various stages in our pipeline. This includes cell-based mechanistic studies to support early development projects, cell-based screening assays to support drug discovery projects, and cell-based target validation studies to support early exploratory projects.
If you are looking for a place where you can use your cell biology knowledge and skills to help shape and extend our pipeline of therapeutics in oncology, immunology, and fibrosis, while still remaining close to the lab and the science, we would love to hear from you.
Responsibilities:
Direct activities of the Cell Biology group to support our pipeline of drug discovery projects by providing both technical and administrative leadership Apply cell biology expertise to both early and late-stage drug discovery projects to support a robust pipeline of product candidates moving towards the clinic Develop robust cell-based screening assays to support small molecule drug discovery projects Maintain and expand flow cytometry capabilities Provide leadership and mentorship to a group of talented cell biologists Generate in vitro data packages to support advancement of projects into development Manage external cell biology collaborations and contract research

Requirements:
PhD (or equivalent) in cell biology, immunology, or a related discipline with 7+ years of industry experience in drug discovery, preferably with both small and large molecules Extensive knowledge of cell biology/molecular cell biology techniques, including flow cytometry, live-cell imaging, fluorescence microscopy, image analysis, Western blotting, CRISPR, qPCR, and si RNA.Experience in flow cytometry based immune cell profiling and immune cell functional assays highly desirable Experience in development and optimization of cell-based screening assays Experience supervising and mentoring scientific laboratory staff, including PhD level scientists Experience leading drug discovery projects Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage effectively with various levels of scientific teams and management Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across scientific disciplines Highly motivated with the ability to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment

FibroGen is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender identity/expression, creed, national origin/ancestry, age, alienage or citizenship, status, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.FibroGen will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

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Notice to Recruiters and Search Firms
FibroGen makes every effort to source and hire its staff through direct recruitment methods. Employment opportunities at FibroGen are managed by our internal human resources team. Please do not contact hiring managers or other FibroGen employees.

FibroGen does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than from the candidates themselves. FibroGen does not accept unsolicited communications from external recruiters. If there is a specific business need, a human resources team member will contact external recruiters directly.

An agency or independent recruiter must have a current, signed agreement and a work order for a specific position with FibroGen before presenting candidates and must be presented to human resources. Submission of unsolicited resumes without a signed agreement and an applicable work order will not create an obligation on the part of FibroGen to pay a fee of any kind.

**Position Objective**

Join a team of scientists engaged in the development of physiologically relevant 2- and 3-D cell culture systems with a focus on liver biology. Key focus areas include identification of optimal conditions for cell isolation, culture and functional characterization of hepatocytes and other primary cell types. Duties will include support of isolation and culture of both hepatic and non-hepatic primary cell types, as required for specific experimental objectives, as well as involvement in the design, execution and analysis of results. Employ a diverse array of assays and analytical tools to address key biological questions and product requirements. Critical thinking skills and attention detail are a must. Successful candidate will have an opportunity to play a significant role in creating next generation cell culture products and learn the product development process in a leading biotechnology company. Due to nature of projects, some weekend work will be required in order to maintain these cultures and experimental or project timelines.

**Key Skills**

Sterile tissue culture technique required, formal training in liver biology is a plus.

Ability to perform (we can train) dissections from human and animal tissues for subsequent primary cell isolations and downstream experimental applications.

Able to work independently in a dynamic, fast paced team environment.

Experience with cell-based imaging and assays (fluorescent microscopy, flow cytometry, ELISA) is a plus.

Effective communication/interpersonal skills

Ability to identify and extract key information from peer reviewed literature

Familiarity and use of standard cell and molecular biology techniques

Participate in the design, execution, and analysis of experiments with moderate to low level of supervision.

Highly organized, ability to maintain well documented laboratory protocols and notebooks.

Perform other related duties as required and/or assigned.

**Education**

Requires a bachelor's degree in Biology, Chemistry, Biochemistry or related life sciences discipline (masters with 0+ years' experience or bachelors with 3+ years' experience)

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

Sonata Therapeutics was founded by Flagship Pioneering, an organization dedicated to the origination and development of first-in-category life sciences companies. Since 2000, Flagship has originated and fostered the development of nearly 100 scientific ventures resulting in $20+ billion in aggregate value, 500+ issued patents, and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents.

The Position:

Due to the expansion of our R&D capabilities, we are currently on the hunt for a leader in exploratory biology to drive strategy and experimentation in the early space of several indications, including regeneration, fibrosis, autoimmunity, and I/O.

As a Director, you will lead a small team of scientists in early discovery research to integrate several disease areas and determine if there is a potential strategy for re-engineering the cellular microenvironments of the varying cell types to treat or cure these diseases. You will work across the organization, especially with our Data Science and Platform Development teams, to prioritize investigational studies and develop robust research plans with aggressive timelines. You will partner with Senior Leadership to determine which programs should move forward to translation and help your team effectively transition projects to drug development teams across modalities.

Sonata Therapeutics offers the challenge and opportunity to work at an early-stage, big concept biotechnology company. Your efforts will enable the expansion of our biology platform into new therapeutic areas and our R&D portfolio that could lead to the development of life-changing therapies.

You will be making a significant impact by...

• Leveraging your understanding of disease biology, the early-stage drug development process, and relevant late-stage challenges to design and execute effective exploratory development programs in support of the overall R&D portfolio goals.
• Effectively engaging with cross-functional teams to define and revise development strategies and implementation plans.
• Continually analyzing progress toward delivering key data and interpretation essential for rapid, data-driven decision-making on projects.
• Engaging with the Leadership Team to ensure alignment of program strategy and operational plans and progress toward key milestones.
• Building, proactively managing, and professionally developing a high-performing team with diverse perspectives of Ph.D.-level Scientists and Research Associates to design, optimize, validate, and execute studies within aggressive timelines.
• Collaborating with our Platform team to continue to expand platform technologies and capabilities

As an excellent candidate, you will possess:

• Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree of relevance.
• 5+ years of experience in the drug development process and leadership experience in academic or industry settings, including education where applicable
• Expertise in the drug development process with particular in-depth knowledge of the early development space and overall drug development principles
• Working knowledge of all functional areas of exploratory development, including chemistry, biochemistry, biology, toxicology, translational medicine, early clinical development, etc.
• Demonstrated scientific acumen and mechanistic understanding of pharmacology and disease biology, especially in Fibrosis, Regeneration and/or Autoimmunity
• Ability to create clear key priorities for competing successfully in the evolving pharmaceutical and health care industry.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a cross-functional team to execute with urgency and drive to data-driven decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to objectively assess complex but relatively sparse data sets, make informed decisions and take action in the face of uncertainty.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully present complex programs to senior leaders and influence decision-making.
• Experience in successfully managing and leading high-performing teams
• Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor others to enhance performance and/or facilitate career progression.
• Ability to effectively and seamlessly multi-task and prioritize across multiple exploratory areas, with complex strategies and accelerated timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to advise and participate in business development due diligence evaluations and transaction recommendations.

Sonata Therapeutics and Flagship Pioneering are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.