Laboratory Operations Manager | Biology

tl;dr

General Proximity is a seed-stage startup developing the next generation of induced-proximity medicines. Our OmniTAC drug discovery engine furnishes molecules that co-opt existing cellular machinery to overcome therapeutic challenges, which have remained unapproachable to other modalities for decades.

We are seeking first-rate Lab Operations Manager to help us pioneer this uncharted frontier of drug discovery.

 

Our Story

A long-standing challenge in drug discovery is the development of molecules capable of modulating difficult or “undruggable” targets. Disease-causing proteins can be dysfunctional in many different ways, but our armamentarium for fixing them is quite limited. The most common mechanism of action for FDA-approved drugs is inhibition[1], but there are many other possible perturbation types whose potential remains unrealized.

General Proximity is a seed-stage drug discovery company developing a novel platform technology to solve this problem. We make bifunctional drugs that induce the modification of drug targets by existing cellular machinery (rather than through direct modulation by the drug, the classical approach).

Historically, the development of technologies that allow one to push new buttons in biology has been an incredibly fertile field for the discovery of new medicines[2, 3, 4], and our technology holds the same promise.

 

The Position

We are seeking an exceptional Laboratory Operations Manager to join and support our Biology and Platform teams. In this position, you will be closely involved in the support and development of our core OmniTAC Precision Drug Discovery platform.

Your responsibilities will include general lab management duties, such as maintaining lab stocks, inventories and ordering and receiving supplies, as well as other organizational and operational tasks central to the growth of our company. In that role, you will contact CROs, obtain quotes and equipment acquisition. In addition, you will perform biological research yourself in the medium-term, using cell culture-based phenotypic assays, as well as a wide range of molecular biology techniques. You will either train or coordinate the training of new members on the different technologies we use in our company.

 

About You

High Agency. Initiative, independence, and self-accountability are some of our most valued traits.

Enthusiastic. We love people who are excited about what they are doing and are generally attempting to build a high-energy team.

Intensity and Grit. Early-stage startups are hard. Drug discovery is doubly so. We are looking for candidates who have a demonstrated ability to stick with hard problems for the long haul, with a team that has your back along the way.

Prosocial. We are here to create life-saving medicines for the patients who need them most. You should be too.

 

Qualifications & Nice-To-Haves

• BS, MS, or PhD in Biology or related Life Sciences field, with a minimum of 4 years (BS) or 2 years (MS) of experience in maintaining laboratory operations for a group of 10+ scientists.
• Excellent attention to detail, exceptional organizational and problem-solving skills; strong written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proactive mindset towards identifying and solving potential issues to ensure seamless operations.
• Experience with managing sample inventories, vendors, EH&S compliance, and lab safety.

Proficiency in:

• Mammalian cell culture, passaging/seeding cells
• Cell-based assays
• Molecular cloning, CRISPR, PCR
• other common biology techniques like western-blotting

Nice to have:

• Working knowledge of LIMS/database systems is highly desirable.
• Transient/stable protein expression and characterization, immunoprecipitation assays.
• Experience with HTS and phenotypic assay development.
• Experience with Flow cytometry.
• Any computational or programming skills will be also a bonus

 

Benefits

• Strong equity incentives. We are looking for candidates who will bring a strong sense of ownership to drive their project areas forward, and we believe that you deserve to be compensated accordingly.
• Top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage + One Medical membership.
• 401(k) retirement plans.
• Education and health/fitness incentive programs.
• Reading budget! We will buy you books 📚
• Located in the MBC BioLabs Potrero Hill site; an entrepreneurial hub full of the best scientists and operators the Bay Area has to offer. Our lab is a very short walk from the 22nd St Caltrain Station and a number of wonderful restaurants and cafés.

 

About Us

Work Hard/Play Hard. We believe time is our most valuable commodity, so we strive to create a culture that reflects this. We won’t drag you through unnecessary meetings or email you at 7 PM on a Saturday. When we’re at work we’re there to get things done and when we’re off we’re really off.

Strong Communication. We like well-written documents over PowerPoints, OKRs over vague mission statements, and weekly one-on-ones over yearly reviews.

Writing First. We have a “writing-first” culture. We believe that clarity of writing reflects clarity of thinking, and that the benefits of well-written documentation in a scientific environment are innumerable: democratization of ideation and decision making, increased reproducibility, quicker scaling and onboarding, and better company-wide alignment, to name a few.

Growth. As an early-stage startup we value scientists with an independent, can-do attitude. The more hats you can wear, the better. Our job as employers is to put you in positive-feedback loops so you can grow in the direction of your choosing.

 

Title and compensation commensurate with experience. Applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds, women, and members of underrepresented minority groups are particularly welcomed. We look forward to hearing from you 🙂

 

More info at jobs.generalproximity.bio