Director, Protein Sciences

Septerna is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, CA on a mission to develop life-changing medicines for patients with the vision to become the industry-leading G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-focused drug discovery company. The company’s Native Complex Platform™ recapitulates GPCRs with their native structure, function, and dynamics outside of the cellular context. This approach enables novel access to modern structural and screening technologies used in industrial-scale drug discovery for the entire class of GPCRs. Septerna has an emerging pipeline of GPCR-targeted small molecule programs with potential for growth to target many GPCRs that have been undruggable and unexploited to date.

We are excited to expand our multidisciplinary team of individuals focused on creating revolutionary medicines to address the unmet needs of patients. At Septerna we strive to embrace diversity of thought, expertise, and background through collaboration. To join our ambitious team, be prepared to bring your real self to work every day; grow and learn from a talented team of drug hunters, scientists, and business professionals; and contribute your passion, creativity, and energy to accomplish our mission. We share a fearless pursuit of ground-breaking innovations and cultivate an environment where our employees succeed by learning from each other and working as a team.

We are committed to the development of meaningful therapeutics for patients with indications of high unmet need. This is a tremendous opportunity to work with talented individuals on the frontlines of therapeutic discovery and development. You will directly help move therapies through preclinical research, positioning them for success in the clinic. The successful candidate will add their passion, unique talents, and expertise to a dynamic team motivated to discover new disease-modifying therapeutics for patients in a fast-paced environment.

For more information see: www.septerna.com.

THE ROLE

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Director of Protein Sciences to lead and scale our protein expression and purification operations. This leadership role will be instrumental in driving the strategy and execution of protein generation that is critical to innovate on our Native Complex Platform™ and support our drug discovery efforts. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in molecular biology, cell culture systems, automated protein purification and characterization, along with proven leadership and team management skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate cross-functionally with structural biology, molecular pharmacology, biophysics and drug discovery to align protein generation priorities with corporate objectives.
• Oversee protein expression platforms and purification processes and implement state-of-the-art analytical qualification approaches on the Native Complex™.
• Gain intimate familiarity with GPCR protein biochemistry and molecular pharmacology to effectively advance Septerna’s Platform.
• Implement automation capabilities to expand Septerna’s protein production capabilities.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of scientists and research associates.
• Manage budgets, vendor/CRO relationships, and technology transfers as necessary.
• Ensure rigorous documentation of protocols, batch records, and SOPs. 

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Protein Engineering, or a related field with 10+ years of industry experience, including 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Proven track record in leading protein sciences teams in biotech or pharma and familiarity with the drug discovery process.
• Expertise in recombinant protein expression systems (mammalian, insect cell and bacterial), purification strategies, and analytical characterization methods.
• Extensive experience with purification and characterization of membrane proteins, particularly GPCRs, using detergents, nanodiscs, amphipols, and other stabilization technologies.
• Strong knowledge of affinity, ion exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography, including hands-on experience with AKTA systems.
• Proficiency in optimizing protein yield, homogeneity, and stability for downstream applications such as structural biology, biophysical assays, HTS, affinity selections and other pharmacological assays.
• Experience with diverse approaches (display, computational design, etc) to identify high affinity binding partners to GPCR proteins.
• Exceptional communication, organizational, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build, lead, and inspire high-performing scientific teams.
• Capable of setting clear goals, developing robust workflows, and driving scientific excellence.
• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of how protein sciences integrates with our drug discovery activities. 

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in South San Francisco, CA is $220,000 - $245,000. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location and relevant education or training. Septerna's compensation package also includes benefits, stock options, and annual target bonus for full-time positions.

We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. 

Note to Employment Agencies: Please do not forward any agency resumes. The company will not be responsible for any fees related to resumes that are unsolicited.