Senior Research Scientist for Biochemistry (Drug Discovery & Assay Development) - (W2 Only)

Job Title: Senior Research Scientist – Biochemistry (Drug Discovery & Assay Development)

Location: Wilmington, DE (Onsite)

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Scientist – Biochemistry to join our drug discovery team in Wilmington, DE. The successful candidate will play a key role in designing, developing, and executing biochemical and biophysical assays to support hit identification, validation, lead optimization, and mechanistic studies across multiple therapeutic programs.

This position requires strong expertise in assay development, enzymology, protein characterization, and data analysis within a fast-paced research environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, optimize, and execute biochemical assays including FI, HTRF, FP, and enzyme-based assays.
• Develop and perform biophysical assays such as SPR, BLI, ITC, and DSF to characterize molecular interactions.
• Conduct high-throughput screening (HTS) campaigns and analyze compound activity data.
• Determine binding and kinetic parameters including IC50, EC50, Kd, kon, and koff values.
• Support hit identification, hit validation, mechanism-of-action studies, and lead optimization efforts.
• Troubleshoot assay performance and implement improvements to enhance robustness, reproducibility, and scalability.
• Express, purify, and characterize proteins using affinity, ion-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography techniques.
• Analyze experimental data using GraphPad Prism, Genedata, or similar scientific software.
• Operate and maintain laboratory instrumentation including plate readers, liquid handling systems, and assay automation platforms.
• Maintain accurate experimental records using electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN).
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and scientific summaries for cross-functional project teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor''''s, Master''''s, or Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biophysics, Chemical Biology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Strong foundation in enzymology and biochemical assay development.
• Hands-on experience with biochemical and biophysical assay platforms.
• Experience with protein purification and characterization techniques.
• Knowledge of HTS workflows and compound screening processes.
• Proficiency with GraphPad Prism, Genedata, or equivalent data analysis tools.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent documentation, communication, and collaboration abilities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry experience supporting drug discovery programs.
• Experience with small molecule therapeutics.
• Familiarity with laboratory automation and liquid handling systems.
• Knowledge of protein-ligand interaction studies and kinetic analysis.
• Experience working in pharmaceutical or biotechnology environments.

Must-Have Skills

• Assay Development
• Enzymology
• HTRF / FP / FI Assays
• SPR / BLI / ITC / DSF
• High-Throughput Screening (HTS)
• Protein Purification
• Chromatography
• GraphPad Prism
• Drug Discovery
• Biochemistry Research