Night-Shift GPCR Cell Biology Scientist

Capable Labs; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity options

Wellness budget

Healthcare coverage

HSA/FSA/401K

Job summary

Capable Labs in San Francisco seeks an experienced scientist to lead night-shift cell-based GPCR assay development and execution, delivering reliable pharmacology data to guide compound decisions.

You will own assay quality, troubleshoot complex biology, and create clean handoffs so synthesis, automation, and biology operate as a continuous loop. Equity options and comprehensive benefits accompany the role.

Qualifications

• Able and willing to work the designated night-shift schedule reliably and make sound technical decisions independently when needed.
• Deep hands-on experience developing and running cell-based assays in cell biology, pharmacology, molecular biology, chemical biology, neuroscience, bioengineering, screening, or a closely related area.
• Strong experimental judgment and a systematic approach to assay troubleshooting, reproducibility, controls, and data interpretation.
• Experience with GPCR signaling assays such as calcium flux, cAMP, IP1/IP accumulation, beta-arrestin, or receptor trafficking is helpful but not required.
• The ability to set technical direction, improve workflows, and collaborate closely with chemistry and automation teams while remaining hands-on.
• Clear, disciplined documentation and communication across night-to-day handoffs.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, execution, and optimization of cell-based GPCR assays, including calcium flux, cAMP, IP1/IP accumulation, beta-arrestin recruitment, receptor internalization, membrane potential, and related readouts.
• Develop robust workflows across transient and stable cell systems, optimizing culture conditions, plating density, receptor expression, stimulation formats, time courses, dose-response designs, and assay windows.
• Use fluorescence, luminescence, HTRF/TR-FRET, BRET, ELISA, plate-reader, imaging, and related methods to characterize potency, efficacy, selectivity, kinetics, bias, and reproducibility.
• Set assay controls, quality standards, and troubleshooting strategies that produce interpretable, decision-ready data.
• Investigate noisy curves, unusual plates, inconsistent biology, or compound results that do not make sense, and resolve root causes before problems repeat.
• Work closely with chemists and automation engineers to connect newly synthesized compounds to biological activity and prioritize the next experiments.
• Document overnight work and provide clear handoffs covering results, failures, decisions, and follow-up actions for the day team.

Skills

Night-shift work

GPCR assays

Cell biology

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Tools

Fluorescence

Luminescence

HTRF/TR-FRET

BRET

ELISA

Plate reader

Imaging

Job description

Capable Labs in San Francisco seeks an experienced scientist to lead night-shift cell-based GPCR assay development and execution, delivering reliable pharmacology data to guide compound decisions.

You will own assay quality, troubleshoot complex biology, and create clean handoffs so synthesis, automation, and biology operate as a continuous loop. Equity options and comprehensive benefits accompany the role.