Senior Scientist, High-Throughput Assay & Automation

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Lawrence (KS); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Comprehensive benefits package

401(k) retirement plan with company 
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Parental leave

Job summary

Deciphera is seeking a talented Scientist III to join our drug discovery team and advance small molecule programs through high-quality assay development, screening, and automation-enabled workflows. You will design, execute, optimize, and interpret biochemical and cell-based assays, collaborating with biologists, biochemists, medicinal chemists, and automation experts to generate decision-making data.

This hands-on role requires building robust assays, applying enzyme kinetics, and leveraging

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biological sciences, biochemistry, pharmacology, or related field.
• 5+ years laboratory experience with a bachelor’s degree or 3+ years with a master’s degree, preferably in biotech/pharma.
• Experience developing and optimizing biochemical, cell-free, or cell-based assays for drug discovery.
• Hands-on experience with high-throughput screening formats, especially 384- and 1536-well formats.
• Strong understanding of enzyme kinetics and applying kinetic principles to assay design and data interpretation.
• Experience operating or programming liquid handlers and automation platforms such as Agilent BRAVO, Beckman ECHO, Formulatrix Mantis, Certus Flex, or similar systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and execute high-throughput screening assays in 384- and 1536-well formats (cell-free and cell-based).
• Apply enzyme kinetics to design experiments and support mechanism-of-action studies.
• Operate, program, and troubleshoot liquid handling and automation platforms (BRAVO, ECHO, Mantis, Certus Flex).
• Evaluate and implement lab automation technologies to improve throughput and reduce DMTA cycle time.
• Maintain and calibrate laboratory equipment for precision and reproducibility.
• Manage CRO studies and external collaborations to support deliverables.
• Follow safety, quality control, and documentation procedures.
• Analyze results, summarize findings, and communicate data to internal teams.

Skills

Enzyme kinetics

High-throughput screening

Automation platforms

Data analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in biological sciences

Tools

Agilent BRAVO

Beckman ECHO

Formulatrix Mantis

Certus Flex

Job description

Deciphera is seeking a talented Scientist III to join our drug discovery team and advance small molecule programs through high-quality assay development, screening, and automation-enabled workflows. You will design, execute, optimize, and interpret biochemical and cell-based assays, collaborating with biologists, biochemists, medicinal chemists, and automation experts to generate decision-making data.

This hands-on role requires building robust assays, applying enzyme kinetics, and leveraging