Job Description

We seek a highly motivated and collaborative (Senior) Scientist to join our Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics team at our laboratories based in Seattle, WA. The (Senior) Scientist will support drug development across multiple programs and stages at Variant Bio. This individual should have expertise in DMPK assessments and will be responsible for design, execution, analysis, interpretation and communication of PK and ADME studies conducted both internally and external with our partner CROs. Reporting to the Associate Director, DMPK, this person will join a multidisciplinary drug discovery team of chemists, biologists and pharmacologists to advance our pipeline. The candidate will have hands-on experience in independently performing DMPK/ADME assays and mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques for small molecules and ideally also with biologics (proteins, antibodies). Experience working with CROs is an asset. The candidate will gain experience in drug discovery and development to support our human-genetics-backed therapeutic pipeline. Our current disease areas of interest include kidney disease, fibrosis, and inflammation. This role is based in Seattle and the candidate will spend a portion of their time in the lab conducting experiments.

(Senior) Scientist - DMPK

Responsibilities

• Assist with design and execution of preclinical studies to understand the PK and ADME of novel compounds
• Participate in management of CROs in the conduct of in vitro/in vivo ADME studies
• Analyze and interpret results, generate technical documents and review reports
• Work with internal teams and CROs to coordinate assays for drug discovery projects
• Contribute to the DMPK laboratory in a newly built facility
• Independently perform in vitro ADME assays to support multiple discovery programs
• Maintain detailed experimental records by keeping an updated laboratory notebook
• Be an active team player, working hand-in-hand with colleagues in pharmacology, chemistry and biology

Qualifications

• Scientist experience required: Ph.D. with 1-3 years of experience or M.Sc. 5+ years of experience in pharmacokinetics, biochemistry or a related discipline and minimum of 2 years of industry experience
• Senior Scientist experience required: Ph.D. with 4+ years of experience or M.Sc. 8+ years of experience, with minimum 4 years of biotech / industry experience
• Good knowledge of DMPK experimental aspects, including mass spectrometry, microsomal stability assays, metabolite identification, CYP inhibition and induction, covalent binding, plasma protein binding, solubility determination, and in vivo PK parameters
• Extensive background and skills in LC-MS/MS analysis for quantitation of small molecules using triple quadrupole and/or Orbitrap instruments and analytical software
• Experience developing immunoassays (LBA, ELISA) or hybrid LC-MS for protein bioanalysis is desirable
• DMPK drug-discovery experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech environment, ideally with both large (biologics) and small molecules
• Knowledge of drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic/dynamic principles
• Experience with DMPK-enabling computational tools (WinNonLin for NCA)
• Excellent people skills and an ability & willingness to work on a multidisciplinary R&D team
• Independent, creative, detail-oriented, and a critical thinker 
• Compelled by the company’s mission of great science, a strong ethical stance, and benefit sharing

Compensation & Perks

• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability, and life insurance.
• 401(k) plan through Fidelity that includes up to 3% employer match and flexible investment options.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Choice of public transportation (Orca Card) provided by the company or subsidized parking.
• Central Eastlake location in a brand new Alexandria building with modern facilities.

Anticipated annual base salary for Scientist position is $110,000 - $140,000 plus up to 10% bonus and an options package, for total compensation of up to $121,000 - $154,000, plus equity options. Anticipated annual base salary for Senior Scientist position is $140,000 - $170,000 plus up to 10% bonus and an options package, for total compensation of up to $154,000 - $187,000, plus equity options.

The annual salary range above is based on the responsibilities and qualifications listed above. Individual salary will depend on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Don't meet every single requirement but are excited to join the Variant Bio team? If your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may still be the right candidate for this or other roles.