Principal Scientist, Discovery Biology

About BridgeBioX and BridgeBio Pharma

Leveraging extensive inherited disease experience and an established drug development infrastructure, BridgeBio recently formed a discovery research group called BridgeBioX. The vision of BridgeBioX is to use cutting-edge biology to develop breakthrough medicines in genetic diseases with high unmet needs across multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, neurology, pulmonology, and cardiology. BridgeBioX is building out lab space on the Stanford Life Sciences campus to create a hybrid industry-academic environment where scientists from the top labs around the world can collaborate with senior BridgeBio leadership and advisors.

BridgeBio is a biopharmaceutical company founded to discover, create, test, and deliver transformative medicines to treat patients who suffer from genetic diseases and cancers with clear genetic drivers. We bridge the gap between remarkable advancements in genetic science in academic institutions and the delivery of meaningful medicines to patients. Founded in 2015, the company has built a portfolio of 30 drug development programs ranging from preclinical to late-stage development in multiple therapeutic areas including genetic dermatology, precision oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, neurology, pulmonology, and renal disease, with two approved drugs.

Our focus on scientific excellence and rapid execution aims to translate today’s discoveries into tomorrow’s medicines. We have U.S. offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Boston, New York, and Raleigh, with small satellites in other parts of the country. We also have international offices in Montreal, Canada, and Zug, Switzerland, and are expanding across Europe.

To learn more about our story and company culture, visit us at https://bridgebio.com

Who You Are

Are you someone who thrives in fast-paced and start-up environments? Do you want to make a difference in patients’ lives across disease areas? We seek a highly motivated and experienced biochemist/enzymologist to fill the position of Lead Scientist/Principal Scientist in the Discovery Biology group at BridgeBioX. The Discovery Biology group is a multidisciplinary team with scientific expertise in protein sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, chemical biology, and cell biology. The successful candidate will play a leading role in developing in vitro biochemical and biophysical assays to drive the drug discovery pipeline programs by contributing to hit finding and lead identification strategies, conducting compound screening and follow-up studies for lead identification and optimization, and mechanism of action insights. The position provides ample opportunity for the candidate to interact closely with the leadership team at BridgeBioX. For qualified candidates, there is also an opportunity to lead a portfolio program. The position will report to the Senior Director of Discovery Biology.

Biochemist/enzymologist with a strong track record in the industry developing biochemical/biophysical assays and successfully deploying such assays to enable lead identification and optimization toward the nomination of development candidates. The ideal candidate is creative in identifying appropriate technical/scientific approaches to efficiently advance BBX’s portfolio programs. Experience leading drug discovery projects and managing scientific staff is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design and execution of innovative discovery strategies to identify small molecule therapeutic agents with the desired profiles
• Develop robust biochemical and biophysical assays, including functional/enzymatic and binding assays, to enable hit finding, lead identification and optimization, and mechanistic characterization of compounds
• Identify gaps in technology and know-how and stay abreast of the latest technological and scientific developments in the field to implement novel technologies and processes to maximize efficiency in achieving project deliverables
• Create and present research updates to internal projects teams and senior leadership and provide strategic input to project teams
• Oversee research activities at external contract research organizations and with other collaborators as needed
• Leverage your scientific and technical expertise to provide mentorship to other scientists in the Discovery Biology group
• Maintain a clear, detailed laboratory notebook to document all experiments and results.
• Comply with best laboratory safety practices

No matter your role at BridgeBio, successful team members are:

• Patient Champions, who put patients first and uphold strict ethical standards
• Entrepreneurial Operators, who drive toward practical solutions and have an ownership mindset
• Truth Seekers, who are detailed, rational, and humble problem solvers
• Individuals Who Inspire Excellence in themselves and those around them
• High-quality executors, who execute against goals and milestones with quality, precision, and speed

Education, Experience & Skills Requirements

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Enzymology, or a related discipline, with at least 2 years of pharma/biotech experience
• Broad experience in developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting robust functional and binding-based biochemical assays (e.g., AlphaScreen, HTRF, luminescence, and fluorescence polarization) is required
• Skilled in quantitative analysis of experimental results, including enzyme kinetics and equilibrium binding data for rank ordering compounds and elucidating their mechanism of action
• Experience in biophysical techniques for investigating target binding to partner macromolecules and small molecule agents, as well as analytical characterization of proteins, is highly desirable
• Experience with automation instruments and platforms to enable medium throughput compound screening is highly desired
• Excellent communication, organization, and technical writing skills
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to devise innovative solutions
• Demonstrated track record of professional accomplishments and publications in relevant scientific areas
• The candidate should be driven, have experience working in a cross-disciplinary team, and thrive in a dynamic start-up environment
• A commitment to excellence, focus on high-quality science, and a professional working environment

What We Offer

• Patient Days, where we are fortunate to hear directly from individuals living with the conditions we are seeking to impact throughout the year and learn how we can improve our efforts
• A culture inspired by our values: put patients first, think independently, be radically transparent, every minute counts, and let the science speak
• An unyielding commitment to always putting patients first. Learn more about how we do this here
• A de-centralized model that enables our program teams to focus on advancing science and helping patients. Our affiliate structure is designed to eliminate bureaucracy and put decision-making power in the hands of those closest to the science
• A place where you own the vision – both for your program and your own career path
• A collaborative, fast-paced, data-driven environment where we inspire ourselves and each other to always perform at the top of our game
• Access to learning and development resources to help you get in the best professional shape of your life
• Robust and market-competitive compensation & benefits package (Base, Performance Bonus, Equity, health, welfare & retirement programs)
• Flexible PTO
• Rapid career advancement for strong performers
• Potential ability to work on multiple BridgeBio Pharma programs across multiple therapeutic areas over time 
• Partnerships with leading institutions
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion