Senior Scientist, Screening

At Eisai, satisfying unmet medical needs and increasing the benefits healthcare provides to patients, their families, and caregivers is Eisai’s human health care (hhc) mission. We’re a growing pharmaceutical company that is breaking through in neurology and oncology, with a strong emphasis on research and development. Our history includes the development of many innovative medicines, notably the discovery of the world's most widely-used treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. As we continue to expand, we are seeking highly-motivated individuals who want to work in a fast-paced environment and make a difference.  If this is your profile, we want to hear from you.

At G2D2, we focus not only on how such data help identify and validate therapeutic targets, but also to guide novel approaches to drug such targets and match them to the right patient at the right time. Our precision chemistry strategy - in the context of insights from human genetics - is uniquely positioned to deliver tailor-designed small molecule, anti-sense oligo-nucleotide, and other solutions for targeted therapeutics.

Our new cutting-edge 50,000-square-foot facility is strategically located in Cambridge, MA, to accelerate collaborations with leading research institutes in this world-class biotech hub. Our facility has been designed around a novel open-lab concept, enabling chemists, biologists, automation and other scientists to work together in a single common and integrated lab space. Our labs include state-of-the-art capabilities in medicinal and process chemistry, in-vitro and in-vivo biology, microscopy, chemical and structural biology, automation and screening, and several other discovery technologies and platforms.

You will join a highly interactive and collaborative team spanning a broad range of drug discovery capabilities. We highly value both internal and external collaborations, and you will become involved in flexible research models with a range of external scientific partners to accelerate delivery of innovative medicines. As an Eisai employee you will spend at least 1% of your working time with patients and families to ensure that the innovation you drive is based on an understanding of their real needs.

More information about G2D2 is provided here (http://eisai.mediaroom.com/2018-06-12-Eisai-Inc-to-Launch-Center-for-Genetics-Guided-Dementia-Discovery-in-Cambridge-Massachusetts) and here (https://us.eisai.com/research/g2d2), and about Eisai's Neurology strategy and pipeline are provided here (https://www.eisai.com/index.html).

Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior Scientist to advance early to late pre-clinical research for drug discovery programs in neurodegenerative diseases. The candidate will also play an essential role in deepening our understanding of neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other dementias. The candidate will be an integral part of a diverse team of scientists who integrate genetic data, disease biology, molecular mechanisms and innovative assays and models to develop drug candidates in this area. Human Genetics has identified an increasing number of genes and pathways involved in neurodegenerative diseases, and advances in therapeutic modalities have opened new possibilities to treat these diseases. 

The successful candidate is an early/mid-career cell-biologist with a strong research background in neuroscience or neuroimmunology. He/she will have a track record of developing, validating, and executing screening assays to support drug discovery programs. The successful candidate will take on a leadership role in driving validation of assays for new drug targets, advancing drug discovery programs at various stages of the pipeline, and supporting medicinal chemistry efforts to generate first-in-class therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Primary responsibilities:

• Manage G2D2 screening group and support weekly screens.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemistry colleagues and project leadership to prioritize activities within and across programs.
• Transition and validate new assays to support ongoing and new drug discovery programs.
• Establish and implement a strategic plan to leverage current systems to maximize capacity and to expand future capabilities by utilizing state-of-the-art technologies.
• Deliver clear and concise presentations to drive decision-making. 
• Continually cultivate scientific/technical expertise through a critical review of the scientific literature and attending external conferences, to enable intellectual contributions to G2D2 exploratory and discovery programs.

Qualifications/Skills:

• PhD in neuroscience, neuroimmunology or related field with at least 3-5 years of experience post-PhD in an industry or academic setting. BS/MS with at least 10+ years of relevant experience may be considered.
• Prior experience as a people manager is preferred.
• Extensive experience with screening assays/endpoints (cell-based, binding, enzymatic), robotics, liquid handling systems, and data statistics/management. 
• Proven hands-on experience developing and validating assays to support HTS campaigns and medicinal chemistry SAR.
• Familiarity with IPSC-derived microglia cultures and endpoints a plus.
• Demonstrated record of scientific rigor and productivity.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a dynamic environment as a team player with a strong work ethic, excellent communication, time management skills, and management experience.

Eisai Salary Transparency Language:

Final pay determinations will depend on various factors including but not limited to experience level, education, knowledge, and skills.

Employees are eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs. For additional information on Company employee benefits programs, visit https://us.eisai.com/careers-at-eisai/benefits.

Certain other benefits may be available for this position, please discuss any questions with your recruiter.

Eisai is an equal opportunity employer and as such, is committed in policy and in practice to recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.  Similarly, considering the need for reasonable accommodations, Eisai prohibits discrimination against persons because of disability, including disabled veterans.

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