Scientist II

Cytokinetics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 149,000 - 173,000; Full time

Job summary

Cytokinetics, a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, seeks an accomplished Scientist II to lead pharmacology efforts across our muscle biology programs, with primary focus on cardiac indications.

You will independently design and execute complex in vivo studies, analyze biomarkers, and collaborate with discovery, DMPK, translational, and G&A teams to advance compounds through preclinical development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Biology, Physiology, Pharmacology, or related discipline; postdoctoral training preferred.
• Ability to independently design and interpret complex research programs.
• Experience with rodent handling and dosing.
• Experience with cardiac functional assessments.
• Hands-on biochemical and molecular biology assays.
• Strong publication and/or patent record.
• Excellent data analysis and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead pharmacology projects focused on cardiac indications.
• Design and oversee in vivo studies and biomarker readouts.
• Collaborate with discovery, DMPK, translational, and G&A teams.
• Present work at reviews and scientific meetings.
• Mentor associates and supervise project team members.
• Ensure rigorous data documentation.

Skills

Data analysis

Scientific leadership

Experimental design

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Communication

Education

Ph.D. in Biology/Physiology/Pharmacology

Tools

Echocardiography

ECG

Telemetry

Western blotting

qPCR

Immunohistochemistry

Job description

Cytokinetics is a specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company, building on its over 25 years of pioneering scientific innovations in muscle biology, and advancing a pipeline of potential new medicines for patients suffering from diseases of cardiac muscle dysfunction.

We are seeking an accomplished and independent Scientist II to lead pharmacology efforts across our muscle biology programs. While this role focuses primarily on cardiac and cardiovascular indications, Cytokinetics’ mission spans muscle biology broadly, and the successful candidate may also contribute to programs targeting skeletal or other muscle-related disease areas.

The ideal candidate is a creative, scientifically rigorous investigator who takes primary ownership of research projects, designs and executes complex lines of investigation, and drives compound progression through preclinical development. This individual will analyze complex problems to reach useful conclusions, propose new therapeutic directions, and serve as a technical leader and mentor within a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary scientific lead on one or more pharmacology projects—primarily in cardiac and cardiovascular indications, and potentially in other muscle biology areas—independently conceiving, designing, and executing complex series of in vivo experiments to evaluate the efficacy of different compounds.
• Analyze complex scientific problems, develop and execute new lines of investigation, and propose novel experimental approaches and potential therapeutic programs based on expert knowledge of scientific principles and disease biology.
• Direct the design and oversight of in vivo pharmacology studies and downstream biochemical and molecular assays, including cohort planning, dosing strategy, and endpoint selection, ensuring full compliance with IACUC and institutional guidelines.
• Quantify and interpret biomarkers of disease progression and target engagement, integrating functional and molecular endpoints to assess compound performance and inform go/no-go decisions.
• Interact directly across functions, collaborating with discovery, DMPK, translational, and G&A teams to advance compounds through preclinical development and to contribute to project goals, timelines, and budgets.
• Present original work formally at internal project reviews and external scientific meetings; author scientific papers and contribute to patent applications.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to associates and scientists; may supervise direct reports and administer performance reviews; may serve as a team leader on a project or project phase.
• Proactively seek out new data and technologies to incorporate into projects, maintaining rigorous documentation of experimental methods, datasets, and results.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Biology, Physiology, Pharmacology, or a related scientific discipline (or equivalent experience), generally with 5+ years of relevant experience, including postdoctoral training. Prior experience in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology setting is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, execute, and interpret complex research programs and to propose new scientific and therapeutic directions.
• Expert proficiency in rodent handling and dosing (mouse and rat), including multiple routes of administration and survival surgery.
• Experience with cardiac functional assessments (e.g., echocardiography, ECG, tail-cuff blood pressure measurements, telemetry or related techniques) is required.
• Extensive hands-on expertise in biochemical and molecular biology assays, such as Western blotting, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-based assays.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture or primary cardiomyocytes is a plus.
• Track record of scientific achievement, including authorship of peer-reviewed publications and/or patents, and the ability to present original work formally at internal and external meetings.
• Excellent ability to analyze, interpret, and clearly communicate complex datasets in written reports and oral presentations, and to build effective cross-disciplinary working relationships.

Pay Range

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of South San Francisco, CA is $148,500-$173250. The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. Base salary is just one component of our competitive total compensation package, which includes equity in the form of stock options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

Please review our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy PRIOR to applying.

Our passion is anchored in robust scientific thinking, grounded in integrity and critical thinking. We keep the patient front and center in all we do – all actions and decisions are in service of the patient and their caregivers. We champion integrity, ethics, doing the right thing, and being our best selves.

Please visit our website at: www.cytokinetics.com

Cytokinetics is an Equal Opportunity Employer