Scientist

The Fountain Group is currently seeking a Scientist for a prominent client of ours. This position is located in Cambridge, MA. Details for the position are as follows:

Job Description:

**100% ONSITE: Monday-Friday Day Shift**

• Overview:
  • Immunology R&D organization is expanding its early discovery team at the Cambridge Research Center (CRC) in Cambridge, MA. We are seeking a highly motivated contractor/Scientist III to join the Tissue Homeostasis team. Immune mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) pose a high burden on the healthcare system worldwide. Long term remission from IMIDs represents an unmet need. Current therapeutic options that target the stromal compartments are limited, thus highlighting the urgent need to identify and validate Client stromal targets. At Tissue Homeostasis, we aim at deciphering the molecular mechanisms that perpetuate chronic inflammation across different tissues, with the ultimate goal to develop transformative therapeutics that can achieve IMID remission. In particular, we focus on understanding the stromal cell biology in the context of chronic inflammation and tissue damage/pathology. Key questions include but are not limited to: 1) how stromal cells communicate with immune cells to maintain homeostatic states of tissues; 2) how dysregulation of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions may contribute to inflammatory disorders; and 3) how key signaling aspects of tissue biology in health and IMIDs can be recapitulated in multi-cellular co-culture systems or complex in vitro systems. As a contractor/Scientist III, the candidate will participate in target validation and assay development efforts with a focus on dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying stromal inflammation. This is a hands-on and lab-based role requiring significant cell biology and immunology expertise, the ability to critically assess literature knowledge, and design experiments to support target validation and platform building processes in the Tissue Homeostasis team.
• Key Responsibilities:
  • As a member of the Tissue Homeostasis team, work with the company's Disease Discovery Teams (DDTs) and Genomics Research Center (GRC) team members to design and execute in vitro cell biology and mechanism of action experiments to advance target validation and assay platform development efforts using immune cells and stromal cells.
  • Perform mammalian cell culture of primary and transformed cells.
  • Develop immune-stromal cell co-culture systems (e.g. Myeloid cells-fibroblast) to dissect signal transduction in cell-cell interactions with disease relevant cues.
  • Perform qPCR analysis, flow cytometry, and Western Blotting analysis.
  • Perform cell-based assays with human primary cells and human cell lines (AlphaLISA, ELISA, HTRF, and proliferation assays).
  • Utilize technical knowledge and experience to effectively troubleshoot and optimize assays.
  • Maintain laboratory notebooks to the required company standard.
  • Communicate results in internal meetings.
  • Interpret findings and effectively present scientific data, concepts, and recommendations to various internal audiences.
  • Compile and review technical reports, protocols, manuscripts, and other key documents.

Qualifications:

• BS/MS with 5+ Years of Experience, or Recent PhD (Discipline in Immunology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Microbiology, Biotechnology).
• Extensive cell biology and immunology/inflammation experience, proficiency in working with human primary cells and immortalized cell lines.
• Experience with co-culture systems or complex in vitro systems with primary human cells.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of key cell biology assays and techniques.
• Genetic manipulation of human cells using shRNA/siRNA/CRISPR tools.
• Proficiency in molecular biology skills such as qPCR analysis, flow cytometry, and Western Blotting analysis.

Compensation: $55-70 per hour depending on experience

Duration: 12+ months