Principal Scientist, Cell Pharmacology in Cambridge

About Parabilis Medicines

Parabilis Medicines is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to creating extraordinary medicines for patients with serious diseases by unlocking biologically important targets long considered undruggable. The company has pioneered a new class of alpha-helical peptides – Helicons™ – capable of modulating intracellular proteins that have historically been beyond the reach of conventional medicines. The company’s lead investigational medicine, zolucatetide, is the first and only direct inhibitor of the β-catenin:TCF interaction, a central node in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway that has eluded drug developers for decades. Zolucatetide is being evaluated in the clinic across multiple Wnt/β-catenin-driven diseases, including desmoid tumors, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and a range of other solid tumor indications. Beyond zolucatetide, Parabilis is advancing additional Helicon-based programs focused on other challenging targets where we believe our medicines could have life-altering impact.

What’s the opportunity?

We are seeking an accomplished and visionary leader in Cell Pharmacology to drive cutting-edge research in cellular and molecular biology in support of our Helicon™ peptide platform. In this role, you will serve as a key scientific contributor across multiple programs from within the Biology team, coordinating closely with other teams including Platform, Data Science and Discovery Sciences to help progress our programs. You will play a central role in the design, development and implementation of innovative cell-based assays to screen and progress hits across various projects and programs within our pipeline. Work within your team will help identify hits that can be progressed to become lead candidates across indications in oncology and other disease areas with high unmet need. This role offers a unique opportunity to make high-impact scientific contributions while shaping departmental best practices and mentoring others in a highly collaborative, fast-paced biotech environment.

• Lead the development, optimization and implementation of high-throughput cellular and molecular assays across the biology team to advance early-stage programs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on target engagement and functional assays, providing strategic guidance to cross-functional discovery teams.
• Manage and mentor a small team of individuals who will execute, along with yourself, cell-based assay development and screening efforts within the company and with partners.
• Work closely with the biology lead and other cross-function leads to iteratively drive the discovery of Helicons to inform structure-activity relationships and development candidate selection.
• Lead a new LIMS initiative for biology and ensure all cell-based data QC is carried out to the highest standards and uploads onto LIMS system are carried out for easy access by different functions.
• Partner with EVP, Discovery Biology to track and ensure implementation progress across the department.
• Contribute to the strategic planning of IND-enabling studies and facilitate smooth transitions from discovery into development phases.
• Synthesize and communicate experimental findings in cross-functional meetings and executive forums to support data-driven decision making.
• Serve as a mentor and technical advisor to junior scientists, fostering scientific rigor and growth within the biology organization.
• Champion scientific innovation, propose novel assay formats and platforms, and evaluate emerging technologies for internal application.
• Actively contribute to a dynamic and collaborative scientific culture dedicated to transforming oncology therapy through groundbreaking science.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize AI tools for day-to-day work; baseline proficiency is expected, and advanced or innovative use of AI is a strong plus.

What you’ll need to be successful:

• B.S., M.S., PhD in cancer biology, molecular biology, or related discipline, with 15+ years of industry experience in drug discovery and cellular biology.
• Experience in a biotech or pharma environment with increasing levels of responsibility is required.
• Proven track record in designing and executing complex cell-based assays (e.g., HTRF, AlphaLISA, NanoBRET, HiBiT, MSD) to interrogate intracellular pathways and support SAR.
• Significant experience leading high-throughput cellular screens and analyzing multiparametric datasets for lead prioritization.
• Deep expertise in mammalian cell culture, CRISPR/RNAi-mediated gene modulation, western blotting, qPCR, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and high-content imaging platforms.
• Strong working knowledge of data management platforms such as Dotmatics; skilled in experimental documentation, data integration, and collaborative analysis.
• Recognized internally and externally for scientific contributions, with authorship on peer-reviewed publications or patents strongly preferred.
• People management experience highly preferred.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence across scientific disciplines and functional levels.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, prioritize effectively, and thrive in a dynamic, science-driven environment.
• Able to work on-site and attend in-person meetings.

Core Values

Parabilis Medicines is a team of passionate pioneers who are trailblazing the future of precision medicine with the aim of making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. The company is committed to promoting an inspiring and flourishing working environment for all employees across the business, in all departments, and driving innovation for patient benefit.

• Growth-Minded. We’re inventing a new class of medicines—one applicable to therapeutic targets that have been dreamt about, but always considered impossible to drug. Our work requires us to be curious, humble and adaptable.
• In(ter)dependent. We are fiercely independent as a leader in defying the limitations of current therapeutic modalities, and interdependent as a team as we work collaboratively to shift drug discovery paradigms and provide patients with better treatment options.
• Patient-focused. We are deeply focused on patient outcomes, and all energy in the company is focused on science as it translates to patient impact.
• All-In. We’re All-In on solving some of the hardest scientific challenges and delivering one of the most effective new classes of drugs in history.

The base salary range for this position is $160,000-$190,000, depending on experience, qualifications, and internal practices. Parabilis’s total compensation package also includes an annual target bonus, equity, and a comprehensive suite of competitive benefits designed to support our employees’ overall well-being. As an equal opportunity employer, Parabilis Medicines values an inclusive workplace and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.