Director, Target Validation/Cell Biology

 Job Title:

Science Director – Target Validation / Cell Biology

 

Location: Los Angeles, CA or Princeton, NJ / currently hybrid

 

Vaccination against COVID-19 is a prerequisite for employment at CHDI Management.

 

 

Job Description:

Scientist with expertise in cell biology, cell signaling pathways and molecular neuroscience to lead the design, implementation, and management of campaigns to advance the understanding of human genetics-based target candidates to accelerate new therapies for Huntington’s disease (HD). The position involves collaborating with internal CHDI scientists, external academics, and Contract Research Organization collaborators.

 

Job Responsibilities:

The responsibilities include:

• Interrogation of candidate modifiers of HD emerging from human genetic studies for therapeutic modulation.
• Project lead for developing and prosecuting mechanistic thesis via in vitro systems: conceptualize, implement, validate, and integrate biochemical, biophysical and cell-based assays into an efficient flow scheme for candidates towards direct or orthogonal therapeutic prosecution.
• Forge and oversee academic collaborations relevant to human genetics targets.
• Lead and oversee contract organization scientists for implementation of assay development and drug discovery goals.
• Collaborate with Platform teams to identify and deliver reagents to support target advancement (Genetically modified animal models, protein production, antibody production, structural biology).
• Co-Lead the development of proof-of-concept tool molecules across a range of modalities (small molecule, ASO, RNAi, CRISPR)
• Contribute to development of standard operating protocols for assays and for data qualification and registration.
• Review and approve detailed reports for each project and campaign in area of responsibility.
• Participate in technology assessment and implementation activities.
• Communicate results in presentations at scientific meetings and by co-authoring publications.

 

Requirements:

The candidate of choice will have:

• A PhD in Molecular/Cell Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience or related discipline
• Technological expertise in investigation of complex molecular machines, ie protein complexes, protein-protein interactions and/or protein-nucleic acid- transcription regulatory complexes to dissect target mechanism or pathway relevant to disease modification.
• Experience working with a diversity of cell-based assays including stem cells and derivatives.
• Experience with high content imaging technologies for cell-based assays.

 

• A proven scientific track record in novel target deconvolution / early drug discovery across multiple target classes with > 5 years as an independent investigator or project lead in the academic / pharmaceutical/biotechnology sector.
• Experience bridging biochemical and structural biology expertise to drug discovery programs.
• Demonstrated track record of creative problem solving
• Rigorous data analyses and interpretation skills.
• Knowledge and experience with industry standard quantitative biology tools, technologies, and vendors.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to both lead and be a team player in an interdisciplinary team-oriented environment.
• A publication track record demonstrating rigor and evidence of cross-functional teamwork.

 

 

Preferred Skills:

An ideal candidate would also have:

• Experience with biological network pathway mining and bioinformatic analysis tools.
• Demonstrated track record of co-leading drug discovery project teams, partnering with Medicinal Chemistry/DMPK and Structural biology teams.
• Experience in managing external contract research organization collaborations.
• Experience in managing biopharma and/or academic collaborations.
• Expertise in working in the CNS and neurodegeneration drug discovery.

 

About CHDI Foundation, Inc.

CHDI Foundation, Inc. is a privately-funded, not-for-profit, biomedical research organization that is exclusively dedicated to rapidly discovering, accelerating and developing therapies that slow the progression of Huntington’s disease (HD). Our scientists work closely with a network of more than 600 researchers in academic and industrial laboratories around the world in the pursuit of these innovative therapies, providing strategic scientific direction to ensure that our common goals remain in focus. This helps bridge the translational gap that often exists between academic and industrial research pursuits and that adds costly delays to therapy development. In its role as a collaborative enabler, CHDI seeks to bring the right partners together to identify and address critical scientific issues and move drug candidates to clinical evaluation as rapidly as possible. Our activities extend from exploratory biology to the identification and validation of therapeutic targets, and from drug discovery and development to clinical studies and trials. More information about CHDI can be found at www.chdifoundation.org

About CHDI Management, Inc.

CHDI Management, Inc. was established in 2002 to provide administrative, management and grant making services to CHDI Foundation, Inc.

 

 

Salary range: $120,000-220,000.  Exact compensation will vary based on experience.

 

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