Senior Engineer III, ADME

Ginkgo Bioworks Inc.; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company stock awards

Comprehensive benefits package

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Job summary

A biotech firm is seeking a High-Throughput ADME Scientist to modernize in-vitro drug testing. This role involves developing and implementing high-throughput ADME assays, performing mass spectrometry analysis, and collaborating with medicinal chemists to optimize drug candidates. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. or Master’s with extensive experience in bioanalytical chemistry and drug metabolism. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including stock options and unlimited PTO, are offered.

Qualifications

• Deep technical expertise in developing and validating high-throughput ADME assays.
• Hands-on experience with LC-MS in a high-throughput setting.
• Strong knowledge of drug metabolism pathways.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and validate high-throughput in-vitro ADME assays.
• Conduct mass spectrometry analysis of samples from ADME assays.
• Maintain accurate laboratory records while ensuring compliance with safety regulations.

Skills

High-throughput ADME assays

Mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Automated laboratory systems

Data analysis

Education

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field

Master’s degree with 5+ years of industry experience

Tools

LC-MS

Electronic laboratory data capture systems (LIMS, ELN)

Job description

Our mission is to make biology easier to engineer. Ginkgo is constructing, editing, and redesigning the living world in order to answer the globe’s growing challenges in health, energy, food, materials, and more. Our bioengineers make use of an in‑house automated foundry for designing and building new organisms.

Here at Ginkgo, we are aiming to modernize ADME by bringing our experience in high‑throughput screening to the in‑vitro small molecule drug pipeline. We are re‑imagining ADME at scale, and we are seeking a visionary and technically adept High‑Throughput ADME Scientist to help us build and execute this next‑generation platform. This role is critical in accelerating our drug discovery pipeline by providing timely and high‑quality in‑vitro ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) data to guide lead optimization.

The ideal candidate will possess deep technical expertise in developing, validating, and implementing a variety of high‑throughput ADME assays.

Key Responsibilities

Assay Development & Implementation

• Design, develop, optimize, and validate a wide array of high‑throughput in‑vitro ADME assays (e.g., solubility, MDCK permeability, plasma protein binding, microsomal stability, hepatocyte stability, and CYP inhibition/induction).
• Automation and Screening: Experience working with automated liquid handlers such as Hamilton, Lynx, Bravo, and Formulatrix.

Data Analysis & Reporting

• Develop and perform mass spectrometry (LC‑MS/MS, acoustic ejection mass spectrometry, or similar) analysis of samples from ADME assays. Responsibilities will include method development and troubleshooting.
• Ensure proper sample preparation and management for high‑throughput analysis.
• Analyze, interpret, and report complex ADME data, including calculating key pharmacokinetic parameters.
• Present results and provide expert recommendations to medicinal chemists and project teams to inform go/no‑go decisions.

Quality & Compliance

• Maintain detailed and accurate laboratory records, SOPs, and electronic notebooks.
• Ensure all laboratory activities comply with internal quality standards and safety regulations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Analytical Chemistry, or a related field with 2+ years of relevant industry experience, or a Master’s degree with 5+ years of industry experience.
• Technical Expertise:
  • Extensive, hands‑on experience with LC‑MS or acoustic MS particularly in a high‑throughput setting.
  • Proven track record in developing and running automated in‑vitro ADME assays using state‑of‑the‑art laboratory automation.
  • Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of drug metabolism pathways and DMPK.
  • Familiarity with common ADME prediction software and data visualization tools.

Preferred Skills

• Experience using lab automation.
• Programmatic coding experience (e.g., Python, R, or similar).
• Data visualization (Spotfire, Python, R, or similar).
• Experience handling clinical samples.
• Familiarity with working in a CRO (Contract Research Organization) environment or managing CRO relationships.
• Proficiency with electronic laboratory data capture systems (e.g., LIMS, ELN).

The base salary range for this role is $115,000.00 – $165,000.00. Actual pay within this range will depend on a candidate’s skills, expertise, and experience. We also offer company stock awards, a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental & vision coverage, health spending accounts, voluntary benefits, leave of absence policies, 401(k) program with employer contribution, 8 paid holidays in addition to a full‑week winter shutdown and unlimited Paid Time Off policy.

Ginkgo has implemented a return to office policy effective October 1, 2025 with required in‑office days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. This policy applies to all employees who live within 50 miles of Ginkgo’s offices in Boston, MA, Emeryville, CA and West Sacramento, CA. **Biosecurity positions are excluded from this policy.

It is the policy of Ginkgo Bioworks to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees, employment applicants, and EOE disability/vet.

As set forth in Ginkgo Bioworks Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.