Senior Assoicate Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology

Company Overview

Cerevel Therapeutics is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the brain to treat neuroscience diseases. We are tackling neuroscience diseases with a differentiated approach that combines expertise in neurocircuitry with a focus on receptor selectivity. Our portfolio of pre-commercial neuroscience assets targets a broad range of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including schizophrenia, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and substance use disorder.

Headquartered in the Greater Boston area, we are bold thinkers, deep experts, resilient pathfinders, and transparent partners who push the boundaries of scientific understanding to unlock breakthrough CNS therapies that have real impact on people's lives.

Cerevel aspires to develop and nurture a culture characterized by trust, respect, courage, curiosity, and compassion, with a relentless focus on mission and results. Our patient-centricity guides our purpose, how we treat each other and what we work on every day. The successful candidate will bring their own unique thinking and approach to Cerevel while sharing our core values and convictions.

Role Summary

Cerevel Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company with an expanding portfolio of programs aimed at developing therapies for psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases. We are looking to hire a self-motivated, collaborative, versatile research scientist who is eager to investigate novel target biology and to support in vivo model development for advancing preclinical drug discovery processes across early to advanced stage programs. This position within a dynamic, goal-driven team offers exposure and training opportunities in drug discovery across multiple functional groups and program teams.

The successful candidate will independently design and conduct lab-based in vivo and ex vivo assays to support target validation studies, model development and biomarker discovery efforts for neuroimmune and -degenerative indications. This role will closely collaborate with and support other functional teams, such as DMPK, translational genetics and in vitro pharmacology.

Key Responsiblities

• Generate high-quality experimental data and establish robust assays to support internal in vivo phenotyping and pharmacological studies, as well as biomarker assays for relevant rodent models focused on, but not limited to, neuroinflammation/ -degeneration

• Study support for in vivo PK/PD and efficacy studies across different programs and models

• Support Cerevel's drug discovery efforts to advance multiple discovery-stage programs through planning, execution, analysis, and presentation of experiments aligned with program teams and in support of partner functions

• Work with cross-functional, dynamic, and highly engaged teams and take on responsibilities to independently conduct in vivo studies in rodents as well as ex vivo lab techniques, e.g. tissue processing and biochemical assays, at Cerevel's lab facility equipped with cutting-edge instrumentation and technologies

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrates independent research experience in BSL2 lab environment and prior biochemical assay development skills, e.g. ELISA platforms, WB

• Prior training in in vivo work, including rodent handling, various dosing routes and tissue collection methods

• Willingness to work on-site in the laboratory/vivarium space for at least 80% of a full-time position

• Ability & motivation to conduct literature search & interpretation to advance research programs, models and platform innovation

• Outstanding problem-solving skills and attention to detail for experimentation & documentation

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and teamwork mentality

• Flexible, curious and analytical mindset eager and pro-active to learn new techniques, and actively support the implementation of innovative technologies and workflows and train others

• Attention to detail, superior organizational and time management skills

• Thrives and works highly productive in a team-oriented, fast-paced, dynamic environment

• Basic data analytical skills using MS Office and statistical software tools

Desired Qualifications

• Familiar with mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration/-inflammation and relevant research models

• Prior experience working in cross-functional team structure and multi-tasking on several projects

• Experience in project coordination & communication with external collaborators & vendors

• Experience with compound formulation

• Prior experience with record keeping using electronic lab notebooks

• Experience writing scientific documents and publications

Education

• M.Sc. with 1+ years, or B.Sc. with 2-4 years of hands-on research experience in drug discovery in biotech/pharmaceutical industry and a degree with focus in pharmaceutical science or neuroscience preferred

Cerevel is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, non-disqualifying physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.