Associate Director, Mechanistic Bioassays

Kelly® Science & Clinical is seeking an Associate Director, Pharmacology and Bioassays opportunity with a generative AI biotechnology company in Vancouver, WA. If you’re passionate about bringing the latest scientific discoveries to life and are ready to take the next step in your career, trust The Experts at Hiring Experts.

We are looking for an exceptional scientific leader to shape the future of our discovery and preclinical pipeline as Associate Director, Pharmacology & Bioassays. This is a high-impact role where you will guide a dynamic team responsible for in vitro and ex vivo functional characterization of biologics—including antibodies, bispecifics, and innovative engineered proteins. You will be instrumental in advancing novel drug candidates by driving scientific rigor, mechanistic understanding, and high-quality assay strategies from early discovery through IND-enabling studies.

• Mentor and inspire a talented, multidisciplinary team focused on in vitro and ex vivo assay development, mechanistic biology, and functional pharmacology.
• Serve as a subject matter expert in pharmacology, providing strategic direction on assay strategy and the mechanistic evaluation of biologic therapeutics—including MOA, receptor pharmacology, signaling pathways, and functional outcomes.
• Champion scientific excellence, data integrity, and quality across all team outputs.

• Drive the design, optimization, and execution of advanced cell-based functional assays to assess potency, mechanistic activity, selectivity, and biological relevance of therapeutic candidates.
• Shape assay strategies supporting target validation, MOA elucidation, lead optimization, structure–function analysis, and disease-pathway studies.
• Integrate functional biology insights with quantitative pharmacology, including dose–response modeling, PK/PD, and receptor occupancy.
• Represent Pharmacology & Bioassays in cross-functional teams, translating complex datasets into actionable program recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with colleagues in Protein Engineering, High-Throughput Screening, and Disease Biology to advance aligned experimental plans and drive program success.
• Identify critical data gaps, propose robust solutions, and ensure strategic decision-making through effective assay application.
• Support in vivo study design through complementary in vitro/ex vivo testing to inform MOA, biomarker selection, and dose guidance.

• Build and maintain state-of-the-art workflows for functional assay systems, including primary cell platforms, cytokine/receptor signaling, flow cytometry, and high-content imaging.
• Establish and implement best practices in assay robustness, statistical rigor, documentation, and reproducibility.
• Oversee resource allocation, timelines, and workload management for multiple concurrent programs in a dynamic biotech environment.
• Evaluate and manage external collaborations, including CROs and academic partners.

• PhD in Pharmacology, Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, or related field, with 5–7+ years of relevant industry experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Proven record of scientific leadership and mentoring.
• Hands‑on experience with antibody drug development programs.

• Deep expertise in biologics and engineered protein therapeutics, including antibodies and bispecifics.
• Strong background in cell biology, cytokine biology, receptor–ligand interactions, signaling pathways, and effector function.
• Extensive experience in developing and troubleshooting functional assays (e.g., primary cell assays, complex multi‑component systems, signaling and reporter assays, ELISA/MSD, flow cytometry, high‑content imaging, immune‑effector assays).
• Demonstrated success advancing candidates through drug development milestones (target validation, lead optimization, IND‑enabling studies) and contributing to at least one IND submission.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire highly skilled scientific teams.
• Excellent communicator; skillful in translating complex biological insights for diverse audiences.
• Collaborative, strategic, and adaptable with a forward‑thinking mindset.
• Thrives in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment and builds strong cross‑functional relationships.

• Impact the development of transformative therapeutics addressing urgent unmet medical needs.
• Collaborate with world‑class scientists at a company committed to innovation and excellence.