Research Associate II, Lead Discovery (On-site, Temporary)

Neomorph, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 114,616,000 - 157,597,000; Full time

Job summary

Neomorph, Inc. is seeking a Research Associate II to support Lead Discovery activities in a fast-paced drug discovery setting.

The role focuses on routine cell-based assays, SAR campaigns, hit confirmation, and assay optimization, with a strong foundation in mammalian cell culture. Responsibilities include handling cell lines, performing luminescence readouts, assay miniaturization for 384- and 1536-well screens, and coordinating with multiple teams to ensure timely, high-quality data delivery.

Qualifications

• BS in Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, or related field with 2+ years of lab experience, or MS in related field.
• Strong hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and cell-based assays.
• Ability to manage multiple cell lines, experiments, and assay timelines with attention to detail.
• Experience with quantitative cell-based readouts such as luminescence or fluorescence.
• Understanding of assay quality and screening metrics (S/B, CV, Z', concentration-response).
• Ability to investigate unexpected results and communicate issues clearly.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine cell-based assays to support SAR, primary screening, hit confirmation, and lead discovery activities.
• Culture, maintain, expand, and bank mammalian cell lines and monitor health for screening readiness.
• Execute cell-based screening assays using luminescence readouts (Bright-Glo, HiBiT, CellTiter-Glo).
• Support assay setup, optimization, miniaturization for 384- and 1536-well formats.
• Operate automation and screening instrumentation for dispensing, transfer, plate handling and detection.
• Generate assay-ready plates and coordinate with Compound Management for materials.
• Perform routine data QC, review plate performance, and troubleshoot issues like variability or errors.
• Analyze results using Excel, GraphPad Prism, and other data systems; document metadata and deviations.
• Maintain electronic lab notebooks and screening trackers with accurate records.

Skills

Mammalian cell culture

Cell-based assays

Data analysis

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Biology

Master's degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

GraphPad Prism

CDD

Job description

Role: Research Associate II, Lead Discovery (Temporary)

Length of contract: 6 months with potential for extension or conversion to full-time

Pay: $40-$55 per hour; this is a W-2 position.

We are seeking a highly motivated and results-driven Research Associate II to join our Lead Discovery team. This role will support routine cell-based assay execution, SAR and screening campaigns, hit confirmation, and assay optimization in a fast-paced drug discovery environment. The successful candidate will have a strong foundation in mammalian cell culture and cell-based assays, with an interest in expanding their experience in high-throughput screening (HTS), data quality, and troubleshooting.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform routine cell-based assays to support SAR, primary screening, hit confirmation, selectivity, and project-specific Lead Discovery activities.
• Culture, maintain, expand, and bank mammalian cell lines while monitoring cell health, passage number, confluency, and readiness for screening.
• Execute cell-based screening assays using luminescence-based readouts such as Bright-Glo, HiBiT and CellTiter-Glo, as applicable.
• Support assay setup, optimization, miniaturization, and qualification for 384- and 1536-well screening formats.
• Operate laboratory automation and screening instrumentation used for cell dispensing, compound transfer, reagent addition, plate handling, and detection.
• Generate and use assay-ready plates (ARPs) and coordinate with Compound Management to ensure compounds and plates are available for scheduled experiments.
• Perform routine data QC, review plate-level assay performance, identify potential issues such as high variability, low signal, spatial effects, or dispensing errors, and elevate or troubleshoot as appropriate.
• Analyze and document experimental results using Microsoft Excel, GraphPad Prism, CDD, and other applicable data systems.
• Maintain accurate and timely records in electronic laboratory notebooks and screening trackers, including assay conditions, run metadata, deviations, and troubleshooting notes.
• Work closely with Compound Management, Biology, Data Science, and project teams to support assay priorities and deliver reliable data on schedule.
• Contribute to SOP development, workflow standardization, continuous improvement, and implementation of new automation and screening processes.

Qualifications

• BS in Biology, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Pharmacology, or a related field with 2+ years of relevant laboratory experience, or MS in a related field.
• Strong hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and cell-based assays.
• Ability to independently manage multiple cell lines, experiments, and assay timelines with strong attention to detail.
• Experience with quantitative cell-based assay readouts such as luminescence, fluorescence, or related technologies.
• Basic understanding of assay quality and screening metrics, including signal-to-background, coefficient of variation (CV), Z-prime, and concentration-response analysis.
• Ability to recognize unexpected assay results, investigate potential causes, and communicate issues clearly.
• Experience analyzing data using Microsoft Excel, GraphPad Prism, or similar analytical software.
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated, flexible, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with high-throughput screening, SAR assays, primary screening, hit confirmation, or assay miniaturization.
• Experience with instrumentation such as PreciseDrop II, Echo acoustic dispensers, PHERAstar plate readers, MultiFlo FX, or comparable platforms.
• Experience troubleshooting assay performance, liquid-handling issues, automation errors, plate handling, or screening data-quality issues.
• Experience with 384- and/or 1536-well assay formats and low-volume liquid handling.
• Familiarity with assay data-management systems such as Abase or similar platforms.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques, including stable cell-line generation, transient transfection/transduction, or related methods.