Principal Scientist, Oncology Research

Aktis Oncology is a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of a new class of targeted alpha radiopharmaceuticals to treat a broad range of solid tumor cancers. Founded and incubated by MPM Capital, the company has developed proprietary platforms to generate tumor targeting agents with ideal properties for alpha radiotherapy. Designed for high tumor penetration and long residence time, Aktis Oncology's molecules will quickly clear other areas of the body, thereby maximizing tumor elimination while minimizing side effects of treatment. This approach would enable clinicians to visualize and verify target engagement prior to exposure to therapeutic radioisotopes. To learn more about Aktis Oncology, visit www.aktisoncology.com.
The Principal Scientist within the Oncology Research group will work in cross-functional teams to identify and develop novel therapies to treat targeted patient populations within multiple oncology indications. She/he will independently apply and develop cutting edge tools and methodologies to enable advancement of company objectives with a focus on early discovery and lead optimization activities. Through project leadership and experimental activities, the team member will find solutions to program related challenges in order to advance programs as part of the of the Oncology Research Team.

BACKGROUND/TRAINING

• Ph.D. in biological sciences or related field, preferably related to oncology or cancer biology
• 2-8 years of biopharmaceutical research experience in drug discovery and/or translational research

EXPERIENCE/ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Experience with the application and development of basic science methodologies to develop complex strategies and enable the advancement of Company objectives.
• Demonstrated success with the execution and interpretation of in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo experiments to explore therapeutic potential of drug targets and drive development programs.
• Experience leading target identification, validation and drug discovery biology efforts to enable nomination of drug candidates for clinical development.
• Strong technical background in planning, designing and executing pre-clinical in vitro and in vivo (required) experiments in order to evaluate target biology and characterize the efficacy and safety of development candidates in relevant oncology models
  • Required expertise includes:
    • Imaging, microscopy and/or pathology experience that can be leveraged to examine target expression across cell lines and/or tissue section
    • Mammalian cell culture/cell line engineering
    • Flow cytometry
    • Common molecular and biochemical techniques (DNA/RNA isolation, qPCR, Western, ELISA, antibody characterization and QC, etc.)
  • Preferred expertise includes:
    • Knowledge of cell-based assays and in vitro pharmacology
    • Experience with biophysical characterization of targets
      • Subcellular / tissue localization
      • Target:ligand interactions
      • Target density evaluation
    • Mechanism of action studies
    • Target engagement assay development
    • In vivo tumor modelling; PK/PD/Efficacy relationships
• Demonstrated success in the area of target discovery, target evaluation or drug discovery, translational research and integration with matrixed project teams
• Demonstrated ability to gather relevant information systematically, break down problems into simple components and make sound decisions
• Willingness to take on new challenges and build a culture of rigor and data-driven decision making to bring novel therapies to the clinic
• Effectively communicates and collaborates with other R&D team members and collaborators to progress development candidate compounds
• Demonstrated high standards for scientific rigor, team behaviors, excellence and building a culture of innovation that is fully aligned with company objectives
• Demonstrated tenacity and drive for enterprise benefit
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, ever-changing growth environment with the ability to work independently
• Proven demonstration of transparent communication and fostering open and diverse debate.
• Ability to work with agility and manage ambiguity
• Personifies positive energy and exemplifies respect

Please refrain from contacting Aktis team members directly. Only online applications will be reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team.