Assay Development Lead

Job Title

Assay Development LeadJob Description

An excellent opportunity is available for an Assay Development Lead to drive the development and optimisation of assays to progress our targeted protein degrader (TPD) programs and platform.  

ACTT’s vision is to transform the lives of cancer patients through a new class of medicines that unlock previously ‘undruggable’ targets. Located at WEHI’s Bundoora Biotech Centre, ACTT focuses on the development of new targeted protein degraders against validated cancer-driving proteins with an initial focus on cancers with high-mortality rates.  

This individual will play a critical role in leading and managing the selection, development, validation, and implementation of various assays to advance our drug discovery pipeline and foster a culture of scientific excellence and innovation. They will maintain current knowledge of assay technologies and emerging trends in drug discovery, ensuring the adoption of best practices and contribute to the development of intellectual property and patent filing related to assay technologies.

Key Selection Criteria/Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, optimisation, and validation of high-throughput, high-content assays and other assays to support drug discovery and development efforts.
• Manage a small team of scientists, providing leadership and mentorship to enhance the team’s capabilities and productivity.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including internal teams and external contract research organisations, to develop assays that meet project goals and timelines.
• Apply quantitative methods to develop assays for high-quality triaging and prioritisation of small molecules to drive projects forward
• Troubleshoot and resolve technical challenges related to assay performance, reproducibility, and robustness.
• Implement and validate assay systems, including enzyme activity assays, cell-based assays, receptor binding assays, degrader ternary complex assays and reporter gene assays, among others.
• Design and execute experiments to support mechanism-of-action studies, target engagement, and pharmacokinetics assays.
• Prepare and present technical reports, documentation, and progress updates to the executive team, collaborators and stakeholders.

Qualifications:

• PhD in biochemistry, molecular biology, pharmacology, or a related discipline with a minimum of 2 years experience in assay development within the drug discovery space.
• Extensive hands-on experience with a variety of protein- and cell-based small molecule assay platforms, including but not limited to ELISA, qPCR, (TR-)FRET, luminescence- and fluorescence-based assays, cellular target engagement and protein degradation assays.
• Proven track record in leading and mentoring scientific teams, with the ability to drive projects to completion within established timelines.
• Expertise in small molecule assay development, validation, and optimization for drug discovery, including high-throughput screening (HTS) and hit-to-lead identification.
• Strong understanding of pharmacology, biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology techniques.
• Familiarity with data analysis software and statistical tools for assay data interpretation.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• A proactive and solution-oriented mindset, with the ability to troubleshoot complex assay-related challenges.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with assay development for degrader therapies.
• Experience with assay platforms related to ADME-Tox studies, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity screening.

Personal Attributes:

• Highly collaborative, able to work across diverse teams in a matrix organisation to achieve common goals.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with a pragmatic and solutions-oriented approach.
• Strong project and time management skills to lead multiple tasks and projects simultaneously with varying timeframes and within budget

Terms of Appointment
This position is available for a fixed term until 30 Mar 2026 in a full time capacity. Salary is Research Employee Level C1 - C6 ($139,851-161,255). Up to 17% superannuation and very attractive salary packaging options are available.

General enquiries can be directed to Joanne Boag - boag.j@wehi.edu.au

A position description is available here.

How to Apply
Please apply by uploading your CV, cover letter and a document addressing the key selection criteria outlined in the Job Description in pdf format.

Application Closing Date: 17 January 2025