Associate Scientist - Chemistry

LOCATION: Cambridge, UK - (Please note we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role)
SALARY: Competitive salary and benefits package, relative to qualifications and experience
POSITION SUMMARY
Amphista Therapeutics is a fast-growing Cambridge-based biotech and a leading Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) company. TPD is one of the hottest areas of drug discovery and our unique scientific approach to TPD, gives us a range of advantages over other therapeutic strategies.

We have completed an oversubscribed $53M funding round which was recently extended with investment by the Dementia Discovery fund. During 2022 we were delighted to announce in two separate collaboration deals with Bristol Myers Squibb and Merck Healthcare which will allow us to grow and advance our therapeutic portfolio even faster. This excellent progress has been recognised Amphista named as a Fierce Biotech, Fierce15 winner for 2022.

This is an entry level position and would suit a recent graduate or early career scientist looking to join an exciting learning environment with fantastic opportunity to learn new skills and take part in both platform technology build and drug discovery programs building skills in both.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Set up and run chemical reactions to generate new compounds
• Working with automation and robotics scale set up parallel reactions to enable plate chemistry
• Have an active role in management of compounds including learning analytical techniques to
• Maintain accurate records in electronic notebooks to ensure good record keeping
• Ensure regular QC and analysis of compounds using LC-MS and other analytical techniques
• Keep abreast of current literature on therapeutic areas and platform technology

*Essential Education, Experience and abilities
*

• BSc/MSc or 2+ years laboratory experience with a background in chemistry, analytical chemistry or
• Ability to follow and develop SOPs including troubleshooting basic issues
• High level of attention to detail
• Passion for science together with a ‘can-do’ problem-solving approach
• Ability and desire to learn new skills quickly and apply new concepts and techniques
• Ability to work across scientific disciplines, in a matrix team
• Good interpersonal/communication skills to be able to work effectively within a team
• Strong organisational skills including ability to prioritise work
• Ability to follow and create standard protocols and record data accurately
• Excellent organisational and self-motivational skills, with track record of prioritising work and keeping to deadlines

Desirable

• Experience setting up plates of compounds for analytics or screening
• Experience with analytic methods, use of automation or weighing accurately
• Experience running LC-MS or similar systems
• Experience in a drug-discovery environment or experience in a chemistry laboratory

*More about Amphista
*

Amphista’s approaches use completely novel mechanisms to build on all the advantages of TPD while directly addressing the emerging limitations of existing TPD strategies to expand the utility of the field. We have shown our approach has the potential to be superior to all other TPD approaches (PROTACs, molecular glues etc) improved druglike properties and reduced tumour resistance potential. We have a range of projects in the discovery phase, initially focused on oncology with potential to expand into other therapy areas including CNS disease & immunology.
Initially founded from the laboratory of Professor Alessio Ciulli (University of Dundee) our team comprises both academic and drug discovery pioneers of the TPD field and a growing R&D team focused on advancing a portfolio of medicines to the clinic using our proprietary next generation TPD technologies. We are continuing to grow and are looking to increase our team size.

The Amphista team comprises highly experienced drug discovery and TPD experts across both biology and chemistry disciplines, creating the ideal learning environment to advance your scientific career development quickly. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast growing and dynamic company operating at the cutting edge of protein degradation-based drug discovery to develop first-in-class medicines to treat cancer and other areas of high unmet medical need.

Job Type: Full-time