Scientist I, Functional Bioassy & High-Throughput Screening

The Role: 

The Functional Bioassay team is seeking a Scientist I, Functional Bioassay / High-Throughput Screening to support the development, optimization, and execution of functional assays across Generate’s growing portfolio of therapeutic programs. This is a bench-focused role for a scientist who enjoys hands-on experimental work and wants to contribute directly to the generation of high-quality functional data at scale that informs AI/ML-enabled protein therapeutic design and program decisions.

The successful candidate will support and, where appropriate, design, optimize, and troubleshoot biochemical and cell-based assays; execute high-throughput screening campaigns; analyze assay data; and help integrate automation into HTS workflows across multiple program areas. Key areas of focus may include ion channel, GPCR, ADC-related functional HTS assays, and other cell-based or biochemical screening platforms as portfolio needs evolve.

This role is expected to be approximately 80–90% laboratory-based and will require close collaboration with scientists across the Therapeutics organization, Data Science, research leads, automation colleagues, and cross-functional program teams to accelerate closed-loop experimental cycles. The scientist will help advance platform-wide innovation in assay execution, data quality, automation onboarding, and workflow scalability.

This position is well-suited for an early-career scientist with strong technical skills, curiosity to learn new assay systems, clear communication skills, and a desire to grow in a fast-paced, collaborative biotech environment while contributing meaningfully to therapeutic discovery programs.

Here's how you will contribute:

• Design, optimize, and implement HTS-compatible biochemical and cell-based assays, with appropriate integration of automation.
• Execute plate-based HTS campaigns, analyze results, and interpret complex experimental datasets.
• Clearly communicate findings to program teams to support AI/ML-enabled design cycles, program prioritization, and iterative therapeutic optimization.
• Support multiple therapeutic programs as a functional assay contributor, with potential focus areas including ion channel, GPCR, and ADC-related assays.
• Learn and apply new assay technologies, including ion channel and GPCR functional assays, with guidance from senior team members and internal or external subject matter experts as needed.
• Perform laboratory experiments with attention to detail, scientific rigor, and adherence to established protocols.
• Troubleshoot assay performance, instrumentation, reagent, or workflow issues in partnership with senior scientists and automation colleagues.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and well-organized records in electronic laboratory notebooks and other data systems.
• Prepare clear summaries of experimental results for internal team discussions, program updates, and cross-functional meetings.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Functional Bioassay, Automation, Biology, Protein Sciences, Data Science, and program teams to ensure experiments are well coordinated and aligned with project needs.
• Follow laboratory safety practices, sample handling requirements, data integrity expectations, and Generate’s scientific standards.

The Ideal Candidate will have:

• PhD in cell biology, pharmacology, immunology, biochemistry, bioengineering, molecular biology, or a related discipline, with relevant hands-on laboratory experience; or MSc with approximately 4+ years of relevant industry or academic research experience; or BSc with approximately 6+ years of relevant industry or academic research experience
• Hands-on experience with cell-based, biochemical, or functional assays in an academic, biotech, pharmaceutical, or related research setting.
• Strong technical foundation in mammalian cell culture and plate-based assay workflows.
• Experience executing experiments with careful attention to controls, replicates, data quality, and documentation.
• Experience with ELISA, HTRF, AlphaLISA, luminescence/fluorescence assays, flow cytometry, or similar assay technologies.
• Familiarity with high-throughput or medium-throughput screening workflows, including multiwell plate formats.
• Ability to follow established protocols while recognizing when assay performance, data quality, or experimental results require troubleshooting.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, matrixed research environment where priorities may shift across multiple programs.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage several experiments or workstreams with guidance from a manager or senior colleagues.
• Ability to analyze and present data clearly using tools such as GraphPad Prism, ScreenWorks, Harmony, iQue Forecyt, Spotfire, or similar platforms.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to summarize experimental results, observations, and next steps clearly
• Collaborative working style, accountability, curiosity, adaptability, and willingness to learn new assay formats, therapeutic areas, and technologies.

Nice to Have

• Experience with ion channel assays or related functional readouts, such as electrophysiology-adjacent workflows, membrane potential assays, or thallium flux assays.
• Experience with GPCR assays, including reporter assays, calcium flux assays, cAMP assays, beta-arrestin assays, or other pathway-based functional assays.
• Experience with ADC, image-based internalization, targeted protein degradation, immune cell, or cytotoxicity assay formats.
• Experience working with primary cells, engineered cell lines, or stable cell line generation.
• Experience with lab automation systems, such as HighRes, Beckman Biomek i5/i7, Hamilton, EL406, Multidrop, or equivalent liquid handling platforms.
• Experience working in a biotech or pharmaceutical research environment and/or interest in applying functional biology to AI/ML-enabled therapeutic discovery.

About Generate Biomedicines

We are a clinical-stage generative biology company pioneering the AI revolution in drug design and development. We are advancing a new approach to drug creation—one grounded in the ability to design proteins with defined biological intent. By integrating machine learning with large-scale experimentation, this approach aims to reduce the uncertainty, time, and cost associated with developing protein-based medicines.

Founded in 2018, we are advancing a growing pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs across multiple disease areas and protein modalities. By unifying computational design and clinical development within a single operating model, we translate this approach into clinical-stage programs and are leading a shift from traditional drug discovery toward systematic drug generation.

At Generate:Biomedicines, we collaborate across disciplines in new ways to invent and innovate. We bring diverse perspectives to a shared goal of delivering better medicines to patients in need, faster, guided by our values and leadership behaviors.

Generate:Biomedicines is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Generate:Biomedicines does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Generate:Biomedicines or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by the Company’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Generate:Biomedicines and the Company will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.

#LI-RT1