At Element Biosciences, we are passionate about our mission to empower the scientific community with more freedom and flexibility to accelerate our collective impact on humanity. We have built a highly efficient product-driven organization where employees can learn, grow, and thrive in a challenging but encouraging environment. We are committed to scientific integrity, collegiality, honesty, objectivity, and openness.

We are seeking an exceptional Senior Scientist to lead and advance our drug discovery and screening programs. This role will be instrumental in establishing and optimizing state-of-the-art screening platforms, with particular emphasis on optical pooled screening and spatial multiomics technologies. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking to drive innovation in target identification, validation, and therapeutic discovery. This role will report to the VP, Applications and will be a San Diego based role.

If you possess the following and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to explore this role.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Lead design, development, and optimization of optical pooled screening platforms for large-scale functional genomics and drug discovery
• Establish spatial multiomics workflows (transcriptomics, proteomics, imaging) to characterize drug mechanisms and disease biology
• Develop and validate high-throughput, high-content screening assays and optimize CRISPR-based perturbation technologies
• Design and execute screening campaigns to identify therapeutic targets and validate drug candidates
• Integrate multi-omic datasets to drive biological insights and inform discovery strategy
• Collaborate across disciplines to advance compounds and define mechanism of action, resistance, and biomarkers
• Serve as a subject matter expert in optical pooled screening, spatial biology, and functional genomics
• Evaluate and implement emerging screening technologies; contribute to strategic planning and technology investment
• Represent the company externally, contribute to publications, and support IP filings
• Analyze complex, high-dimensional screening and spatial profiling datasets
• Build analytical pipelines and visualizations in partnership with computational biology teams, ensuring data quality and reproducibility
• Partner with biology, chemistry, translational, and clinical teams to align screening strategies with program goals
• Mentor junior scientists, communicate findings to diverse audiences, and foster a collaborative, high-excellence R&D environment

Education and Experience:

• PhD in Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Chemical Biology, Pharmacology, Genomics, or related field
• 5–7+ years postdoctoral industry experience with demonstrated scientific leadership
• Hands-on expertise in optical pooled screening and spatial multiomics (e.g., spatial transcriptomics or proteomics)
• Strong background in high-throughput/high-content screening, CRISPR-based functional genomics, and complex assay development
• Proven cross-functional collaboration in advancing drug discovery programs
• Expert cell-based assay, cell biology, and molecular biology skills
• Proficiency with high-content imaging and analysis; familiarity with automation and liquid handling
• Solid understanding of drug discovery workflows from target ID to hit-to-lead
• Bioinformatics/computational skills (R, Python); experience with single-cell and multi-omic data integration
• Knowledge of machine learning in screening; experience with primary cells, organoids, or complex models
• Strong publication and presentation record, with contributions to patents or novel methods
• Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving and communication skills
• Able to work independently and collaboratively with strong organizational and project management abilities
• Committed to scientific rigor, data quality, and continuous learning

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to lift to 20 pounds
• The position requires physical activity associated with molecular biology routines and the handling of chemicals
• Candidates are required to follow the safety protocols and be familiar with personal protective equipment (PPE) while working in the laboratory environment

Location:

• San Diego – on-site

Travel: 

• Up to 5% - or as opportunity arises.

Job Type:

• Full-time, Exempt

Base Compensation Pay Range:

• $125,000 - $165,000

In addition to base compensation noted above, you will be eligible for stock options, discretionary annual bonus, no cost health insurance plans, 401k with company match, and flexible paid time off. 

Please note: Base compensation will depend on multiple factors, including geographic location, qualifications, and experience. 

We foster an environment such that all people are afforded the freedom to pursue their passions without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristics protected by law.