South San Francisco, CA

Senior Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology-Immunology

Department: Discovery Research
Location: Brisbane, CA

Summary and Scope:

The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, energetic, and detail-oriented Ph.D with significant exposure to immunology and oncology research along with prior experience within a fast-paced Research & Development (R&D) team. The candidate will have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of in vivo pharmacology and experience in small molecule drug discovery. The primary role for the candidate is to define immunological and biological mechanisms of action for discovery stage targets and drug candidates. In line with these goals, the successful candidate will employ methodologies that span immunology, biochemistry, and molecular biology to effectively execute in vitro and in vivo experiments. She/He/They will support projects from early development and will have the opportunity to work in a cross functional environment, interacting with discovery, chemistry, and clinical teams, and participate in IND-enabling activities. The candidate must be driven, resourceful, and able to work independently. The candidate will utilize excellent organizational skills and leverage their previous experience to thoughtfully formulate hypotheses, address these hypotheses through experimentation, and present organized data and conclusions to the company. Teamwork, collaboration with colleagues across disciplines, and communication skills are critical. The position will report to our Executive Director, Discovery Research. 

Responsibilities

(not limited to the below and may evolve over time and change depending on business needs and individual expertise):

  • Develop immune oncology tumor models in animal systems to assess and develop novel agents to treat cancer.
  • Design complex in vivo studies to identify and manipulate novel target biology.
  • Work with manager and team to synthesize direction of projects, formulate hypotheses, and carry out experiments with diligence to obtain reproducible results. 
  • Apply routine in vivo and in vitro immune and cellular assays (ELISA, Luminex, western blots, flow cytometry, etc.) to enable drug candidate evaluation to understand mechanism(s) of action.
  • Perform ex vivo PD assessment assays (basic biochemical and immunological methods including cell culture, multi-color flow cytometry, ELISA/multiplex assays).
  • Manage outsourced work and communicate effectively with contract research organizations to ensure experimentation is performed accurately with adherence to timelines. 
  • Analyze and interpret data logically to inform project goals.
  • Represent team and present data at cross-functional project team meetings.
  • Accurately document all protocols, experimental data, and results in appropriate electronic lab notebooks with accuracy and in a timely fashion.
  • Collaborate daily with teammates and contribute to daily laboratory activities to ensure functionality of teams (including procurement and organization).
  • Mentor and manage junior scientist(s).
  • Match the enthusiasm and spirit of an energetic and fast-paced biotech company.

Education & Experience

  • Doctorate degree in immunology, biology, pharmaceutical sciences or related field.
  • At least 5-7 years laboratory (academia or industry) research experience.
  • Experience with relevant sample and model types (mouse tumor and lymphoid tissues, human biological samples).
  • Have experience with standard mouse in vivo work (including tumor inoculation and growth monitoring, body weight monitoring, i.p, i.v., s.c., i.t. injection skills) across diverse in vivo mouse models (including syngeneic models, xenograft models, humanized mouse models).
  • Proven track record of hands-on experience with the creation and development of in vivo mouse tumor models and their application in evaluating anti-cancer therapies.
  • Experience in developing cancer immunotherapeutics is highly desired.
  • Knowledge and understanding of innate immunity highly beneficial.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

  • Strong interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to meet tight deadlines using strong organizational and time-management skills.
  • Ability to handle multiple tasks and changing priorities.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Excel, Word), PRISM, Flow Cytometry analysis software (FlowJo, Cytobank) and database software.
  • Ability to function as an individual contributor in a team setting.
  • Sound judgment and critical thinking skills.
  • Highly detail-oriented and meticulous with data. 

Tempest Guiding Principles

  1. Develop meaningful therapies for patients 
  2. Value diversity in building teams 
  3. Commit to growth and collaboration 
  4. Work with integrity and rigor 
  5. Embrace the energy that drives a successful biotech 

 

Tempest Therapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company advancing small molecules that combine both targeted and immune-mediated mechanisms with the potential to treat a wide range of tumors.  
 
The company’s two novel clinical programs are TPST-1495 and TPST-1120, antagonists of EP2/EP4 and PPARα, respectively. Both TPST-1495 and TPST-1120 are advancing through Phase 1 studies designed to study both agents as monotherapies and in combination with other approved agents.  
 
Tempest is also developing an inhibitor of TREX-1, a double-stranded DNA exonuclease that is designed to control activation of the cGAS/STING pathway, which is an innate immune response pathway that induces the production of IFN-β, a cytokine that is well-established to trigger the development of anti-tumor immunity. Oral delivery of a TREX-1 small molecule inhibitor is intended to selectively activate STING in tumors, leading to anti-tumor immunity.  

Tempest is headquartered in Brisbane, CA and supported by notable healthcare investors. It is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol TPST. More information about Tempest can be found on the company’s website at www.tempesttx.comhttp://www.tempesttx.com. 

Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. offers a competitive salary and benefits package. Qualified candidates should forward a resume and cover letter to: careers@tempesttx.com  

This is not a remote position. Local candidates only, relocation is not provided.    

Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. anticipates the base salary for the Senior Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology-Immunology in our Brisbane, CA office to range from $165,000 to $195,000 and will depend on current market data and the candidate’s qualifications for the role, including education and experience. The compensation described above is subject to change and could be higher or lower than the range described based on several factors. 

NO PHONE CALLS or AGENCIES Please.

Tempest Therapeutics, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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