Principal Scientist, Peptide Chemistry

Calico Life Sciences; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 197,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Calico Life Sciences seeks a Principal Scientist, Peptide Chemistry to join its Drug Discovery organization and to lead a team focused on peptide design, synthesis and engineering for research and drug development projects.

The successful candidate will collaborate with structural biologists, computational modellng scientists, medicinal chemists, DMPK and formulation scientists to explore structure-activity relationships and drive optimization, mentoring early career scientists and presenting

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in organic, medicinal, peptide, or biochemistry.
• 8+ years postdoctoral or equivalent in biopharma/biotech.
• Track record of high-profile publications desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead peptide design, synthesis and engineering to support drug discovery.
• ],
• CoT_job_summary_short
• job_summary_short

Skills

Protein–peptide interactions

Protein–small molecule interactions

Protein engineering

Assay development

Automation

Structure analysis software

Protein expression & purification

LC-MS / AS-MS

CRO management

Peptide synthesis & modification

Oral peptide bioavailability

Communication & teamwork

Education

Ph.D. in organic/medicinal/peptide/biochemistry

Tools

Chimera

PyMOL

Job description

Who We Are

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Who We Are

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Position Description

Calico is seeking a Principal Scientist, Peptide Chemistry to join our Drug Discovery organization and lead a team focused on peptide design, synthesis and engineering to support Calico’s research and drug development projects. This role will work closely with structural biologists, computational modeling scientists, medicinal chemists, DMPK and formulation scientists to investigate structure-activity relationships and drive compound optimization. Additionally, this position will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with our Computing Group on the in silico design and validation for protein binders. The successful candidate must be highly motivated, detail-oriented, work autonomously with a variety of experimental techniques, be comfortable presenting results to cross-functional teams, and have experience mentoring early career scientists. The ideal candidate will be a recognized expert in peptide chemistry and have contributed to peptide drug candidates entering clinical development.

• Ph.D. in organic, medicinal, peptide, or biochemistry, with 8+ years postdoctoral or equivalent experience working in biopharma/biotech sectors; track record of high-profile publications is desirable
• Strong expertise in protein-peptide, protein-small molecule or protein-protein interaction characterization, including SPR, BLI, FP (fluorescence polarization), mass spec, DSF, ITC, etc.
• Proficient in protein-based assay development including ELISA, enzymatic activity assay, AlphaLisa, etc.
• Experience with protein engineering, including PEGylation
• Experience with assay automation
• Proficient in structure analysis with software including Chimera, Pymol, etc.Experience with protein expression and purification is highly preferred
• Experience with LC-MS and AS-MS is highly desired
• Experience in CRO management
• Experience with peptide synthesis and peptide modification chemistry
• Knowledge of optimization of oral bioavailability of peptides
• Accountable, meticulous with attention to detail, and able to multitask
• Strong teamwork and proactive communication skills
• Self-motivated and able to work independently in a cross-functional team environment
• Must be willing to work onsite 5 days per week

The estimated base salary range for this role is $197,000 - $220,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.