Scientist II / Sr. Scientist I, Assay Development

About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

The Scientist II / Sr. Scientist I will be a key member of the Discovery Oncology Assay Team, responsible for providing strong technical expertise and implementation to support drug discovery with a special emphasis on assay development, compound screening, and automation. The Scientist II / Sr. Scientist I  will be responsible for the development and hands-on execution of various biochemical, biophysical, and cellular assays suitable for compound screening in HTS/automation mode to support small-molecule drug discovery projects. In addition to the core assay activities reflected above, the Scientist II / Sr. Scientist I  will be expected to contribute to the continued growth and advancement of the Assay Team by identifying and testing novel assay platforms in support of departmental goals, clearly communicate the scientific rationale, methodology, and results in written and oral formats to support project team decisions, and to drive efficiencies within the group.

 

Key Accountabilities/Core Job Responsibilities:

• Establish primary/secondary assays in the compound screening funnels and implement strategies to explore the mechanisms of action of novel molecules to support translation into future therapies for new indications in oncology.
• Advance science from the bench, design and execute various biochemical, biophysical, and cellular assays in HTS format to determine potency and selectivity of small molecules to understand their SAR and mechanism of action.
• Work with supervisors to improve assay protocols and take the leading role in the development, optimization, and validation of new assays. Utilize technical expertise and available information to troubleshoot and resolve key assay hurdles when encountered.
• Accurately document, critically analyze/interpret data and communicate the results promptly to project leaders.
• Actively participate in scientific meetings by presenting and critically evaluating emerging scientific literature to facilitate further progress and success of key project assignments.
• Perform tasks with diligent attention to detail and high level of accuracy. Prioritize tasks and contribute to a highly motivated and productive research team with a sense of urgency and desire to meet project timelines.

Qualifications

• Scientist II: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education with typically 7+ years of experience or a Master's Degree (or equivalent education) 5+ years of experience.
• Sr. Scientist l: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent education and typically 10 years of experience, Master’s Degree or equivalent education and typically 8 years of experience, or a PhD.
• Familiarity with techniques and instrumentation relevant to automated plate-based assays and the use of multiple techniques to execute the desired assays in an HTS format.
• Proven track record that demonstrates the ability to design, execute and interpret experiments via publications, external presentations, or patents.
• Strong interpersonal skills to thrive in a team environment.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Experience:

• Extensive experience in developing/validating screening assays using purified proteins and cell-based systems including human whole blood or serum samples configured to identify small-molecule inhibitors or binders
• Experience in designing and executing biochemical and cellular microplate-based assays to identify and characterize small-molecule modulators using established methods such as including FP, TR-FRET, HTRF, nanoBRET, ELISA, MSD, Lab-Chip MSA, FACS and Luminex etc
• Experience with lab automation, use of liquid handlers (Echo, Bravo, Beckman i-7, Hamilton Nimbus, Mutidrop Combi etc.) and handling/analysis of large data set coming out of screening assays
• Good knowledge in cell biology models to elucidate molecular mechanisms of action, support SAR activities, and basic protein chemistry technical skills including protein expression, purification, labelling, and characterization by Protein Simple WES and/or Western Blotting
• Experience with biophysical methods such as SPR, MST, nanoDSF and BLI is a plus
• Basic knowledge on biological data analysis tools (GraphPad Prism and Microsoft Office tools) and dealing with lab safety and flexibility in taking additional responsibility is expected

 

Significant Work Activities
N/A
Travel
No
Job Type
Experienced
Schedule
Full-time
Job Level Code
IC
Equal Employment Opportunity
At AbbVie, we value bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to develop new and innovative solutions for patients. As an equal opportunity employer we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.