Associate Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Preclinical, Toronto

POINT Biopharma Global Inc. is a globally focused radiopharmaceutical company building a platform for the clinical development and commercialization of radioligands that fight cancer. POINT aims to transform precision oncology by combining a portfolio of targeted radioligand assets, a seasoned management team, an industry-leading pipeline, in-house manufacturing capabilities, and secured supply for medical isotopes including actinium-225 and lutetium-177. POINT’s active clinical trials include FRONTIER, a phase 1 trial for PNT2004, a pan-cancer program targeting fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP-α), and SPLASH, the phase 3 trial for PNT2002 for people with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after second-line hormonal treatment.

TO BE CONSIDERED, APPLICANTS MUST BE LEGALLY ENTITLED TO WORK IN CANADA.

Location of work: This position will be located onsite downtown at UHN near University Avenue and College Street at the MaRS Center.

Summary

Reporting to the Senior Scientist, Preclinical, the Associate Scientist, Discovery will plan and execute experiments to support early-stage programs and the expansion of POINT’s discovery pipeline. The ideal candidate will have broad expertise in ligand discovery, hit-to-lead optimization, ligand characterization, bioorthogonal chemistry, and protein conjugation techniques. They will work closely with the R&D team at POINT, as well as external partners, to advance candidate radiopharmaceuticals for preclinical development.

Objectives

• Support preclinical and late-stage assets as necessary.
• In conjunction with managers, establish priorities and meet timelines for key experiments.
• Design, optimize and perform in vitro assays to assess the binding kinetics, affinity, biochemical stability and cellular activity of small molecule and peptide-based ligands.
• Critically assess data and methods, adapting and adjusting procedures as necessary.
• Work collaboratively with R&D staff to execute day-to-day discovery activities.
• Oversee the characterization of early-stage ligands using biochemical and/or biophysical techniques, such as enzyme kinetics, SPR, BLI, ELISA, DSF and ITC.

Accountabilities

• Meet deadlines for collaborative projects and internal programs.
• Manage time effectively between multiple projects.
• Plan and perform research work both independently and with the guidance of senior scientists.
• Provide clear communication of scientific data to co-workers through internal presentations and written methods.
• Perform or direct routine laboratory procedures (generation of common reagents and stocks, maintenance of laboratory equipment, maintaining a clean laboratory environment, etc.)
• Produce high-quality analytical and biochemical data.
• Maintaining a safe working environment for themselves and others through full compliance with health and safety protocols.
• Maintain accurate records of experimental details, SOPs, materials on hand, etc

Requirements

• Experience with typical biochemistry laboratory operations and equipment (pipetting devices, balances, pH meters, centrifuges, plate readers, gel electrophoresis system, gel imagers, etc.)
• Excellent written and verbal scientific communication skills.
• Experience with small-molecule and peptide analytical techniques (HPLC, LC/MS, NMR) is an asset.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Experience with biorthogonal chemistry and protein conjugation (azide-alkyne click chemistry, NHS coupling, cysteine/maleimide chemistry).
• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, pharmacy, or related discipline.
• Knowledge or experience with radiopharmaceuticals is considered an asset
• 3+ years relevant experience (industry preferred) with M.Sc., 1-2 years experience with Ph.D.
• Working knowledge of MS-Office, Graphpad Prism, and ChemDraw.
• Understanding of drug properties and in vivo behaviour (PK/PD, biodistribution, and principles of medicinal chemistry).
• Familiarity with protein biochemistry, expression, purification and characterization (FPLC, MALLS, western blots).
• Strong background in developing, performing, and analyzing in vitro biochemical/biophysical assays.

Why joining POINT today will be the right career move for you:

There is no shortage of demand for smart, qualified and hardworking people like yourself – and we strongly believe POINT is the right career move for you. Here is why:

• If what we are saying resonates with you, please submit a resume
• You will be challenged, and are expected to challenge us, as part of a results-oriented, high performance team, where everyone leaves their egos at the door and lets the best ideas win
• You will help establish and define an organization that will change the course of cancer therapies. and help thousands of people each year
• Most importantly, you will spend everyday working on something important
• You will be provided the opportunity to participate in the financial value creation that occurs as POINT grows and becomes a mature pharmaceutical company

Benefits

• Life insurance
• RRSP matching plan
• Disability
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Personal Days, Sick Days & Public Holidays)
• Healthcare plan (medical, dental, vision) – effective day 1
• $500 fitness reimbursement
• Eligible for annual incentive bonus plan and stock options
• $50 cell phone reimbursement per paycheck ($1,300 per year)

All applicants who are offered employment with POINT Biopharma will be subject to a background investigation. Offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a background investigation conducted in accordance with POINT Biopharma policy and state law.

POINT Biopharma does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.

We do not accept unsolicited inquiries or resumes from agencies.