Lead Scientist, Discovery & TPD Biochemistry

BioSpace

Thousand Oaks (CA)

On-site

USD 180,000 - 240,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

Amgen is seeking a Principal Scientist Lead Discovery and Targeted Protein Degradation Biochemistry in Thousand Oaks to lead protein reagent generation and biochemical assay development for challenging drug discovery campaigns, including TPD programs.

The successful candidate will lead a small team, drive strategy for protein production, develop assays, and collaborate across discovery teams to advance novel small-molecule therapeutics, with a strong emphasis on leadership, mentorship, and

Qualifications

Proven expertise in protein purification and biochemical assay development for challenging targets.
Extensive experience in protein expression across mammalian, insect, and microbial systems.
Strong background in biochemical and biophysical approaches to interrogate target engagement, protein‑protein interactions, and small molecule mechanism‑of‑action.
Expertise in protein engineering, including construct design, mutagenesis, and expression optimization to support biochemical and structural studies.
Hands‑on experience developing and optimizing biochemical and biophysical assays, including TR‑FRET/HTRF, fluorescence polarization (FP), AlphaLISA, and BLI/SPR-based approaches.
Familiarity with targeted protein degradation (TPD) and induced proximity modalities.
Track record of effective collaboration within cross‑functional discovery teams and managing priorities across multiple discovery programs.

Responsibilities

Lead protein expression, purification, and characterization strategies for challenging proteins to enable the discovery of novel small-molecule therapeutics.
Develop and implement biochemical and biophysical assays to support hit identification, validation, optimization, and mechanism-of-action studies.
Serve as a key scientific partner to cross-functional discovery teams, providing technical expertise across a growing portfolio of small-molecule therapeutics.
Lead and develop a small team of scientists, providing scientific direction and mentorship.
Contribute to scientific strategy and communicate findings to project teams and leadership as appropriate.