Senior Research Associate – Scientist I, Discovery Biology

Planet Pharma; Brisbane (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Pharma is seeking a Senior Research Associate – Scientist I in Discovery Biology to plan, execute, and analyze in vitro cell-based assays supporting cancer drug discovery. You will culture cancer cell lines and primary cells, troubleshoot experiments, and contribute to project strategy with cross-functional teams.

The role requires strong background in cell biology, experience with multiple assay platforms (HTRF, ELISA, RT-qPCR, flow cytometry), and a track record of reproducible

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of industry experience, Master’s 4+ years, or Ph.D. 1–2 years in cell biology or related field.
• Strong background in cancer cell biology and hands-on cell culture with aseptic technique.
• Experience with low-to-medium throughput cell-based assay platforms.
• Ability to design experiments and work with minimal supervision.
• Excellent data integrity and reproducible research practices.
• Clear written and verbal communication and cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to balance multiple studies against timelines.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and analyze in vitro cell-based assays for discovery projects.
• Perform routine and specialized cell culture with various cancer cells.
• Troubleshoot experiments and introduce new techniques to accelerate research.
• Analyze data to quantify potency and activity and report results to teams.
• Maintain data in ELN and enterprise databases with high accuracy.
• Collaborate with scientists across disciplines on design and strategy.

Skills

Cell Biology

Cancer Biology

Molecular Biology

Cell Culture

Data Analysis

Communication

Organizational Skills

Education

Ph.D. in relevant field

Master's in relevant field

Bachelor's in relevant field

Tools

HTRF

AlphaLISA

ELISA

RT-qPCR

Flow Cytometry

Western Blot

JESS

Job description

Senior Research Associate – Scientist I, Discovery Biology

The Opportunity

• Plan, execute, and analyze in vitro cell-based assays to support small molecule and degrader-antibody conjugate discovery efforts in cancer oncology, including mechanistic studies and new target identification
• Perform routine and specialized cell culture (cancer cell lines and/or primary cells) to support lead progression and follow-up studies
• Independently troubleshoot experimental issues and proactively introduce new techniques and efficiencies to accelerate drug discovery
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to quantify drug potency and activity, and communicate results clearly to project teams
• Upload and maintain experimental data in electronic lab notebooks and enterprise databases with a high level of accuracy and timeliness
• Collaborate closely with scientists across disciplines, contributing to experimental design, meeting presentations, and project strategy

What You’ll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of relevant industry experience, Master’s degree with 4+ years, or Ph.D. with 1-2 years of industry experience in Cell Biology, Cancer Biology, Molecular Biology, or a related field (final level based on education, experience, and demonstrated independence)
• Strong background in cancer cell biology
• Extensive hands‑on experience with cell culture (cancer cell lines and/or primary cells) and good aseptic technique
• Hands‑on experience and proficiency with low‑to‑medium‑throughput cell‑based assay platforms such as HTRF, AlphaLISA/ELISA, CellTiter‑Glo, RT‑qPCR, flow cytometry, and Western blotting/JESS, and other functional assay development
• Ability to conceive, design, and execute hypothesis‑testing experiments that directly contribute to project success with minimal supervision
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, data integrity, and commitment to reproducible research
• Clear written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated effectiveness working with cross‑functional teams
• Ability to balance multiple studies and deliver high‑quality results against project timelines

Preferred

• Experience with gene editing such as CRISPR and RNA interference
• Experience with targeted protein degradation, including PROTACs, degrader-antibody‑conjugates, and molecular glue degraders
• Prior industry drug discovery experience

Location: Onsite – Brisbane, CA