Cell Biology Associate

Job Type:  Permanent Full Time
Region:  Technoparc Montréal (Ville St-Laurent)

Paraza Pharma, Inc.

Paraza Pharma, Inc. is a fast-growing pharmaceutical research company offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment where scientific excellence, innovation and creativity are at the forefront. Here, diversity, new points of view and a creative spirit are valued and considered as real assets. We provide our employees with ongoing support, training and development opportunities to expand their horizons while contributing to our shared passion for Drug Discovery. 

Cell Biology Associate Job Description

The Biological Sciences Department at Paraza has an opportunity for a cell biologist who will generate tools and develop assays needed to drive drug discovery projects.  You should also be able to implement novel experiments to answer key mechanism of action or translational biology questions. At Paraza we work on a diverse project portfolio covering many disease areas; therefore the ideal candidate will have a wide skill set and an ability to successfully transition between projects and research areas.

Key activities may include:

• Characterization of small molecule pharmacology in cells, using classic and state-of-the-art cell biology techniques, for example: IP-western blot, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, cytokine bead array, fluorescent and label-free imaging, etc.
• Development, validation and execution of cellular assays for compound evaluation in 96- and 384-well plates, for example proliferation, cytotoxicity, calcium flux (FLIPR) and reporter assays as well as ELISAs
• Extraction of total protein, DNA or RNA from both cellular and tissue samples
• Manipulation of established cell lines including generation of stable cell lines by overexpression, shRNA silencing or CRISPR knockout.
• Culture and manipulation of primary cells
• Interpretation of experimental data and proposal of follow-up experiments

Minimum Qualifications

• M.Sc. in biology or closely related discipline. Experience in Biotech/Pharma preferred. Alternatively a B.Sc. in biology with at least three years of Biotech/Pharma work experience.
• Recognized abilities in mammalian cell culture and performance of cell biology experiments
• Experience in setting up, performing, and troubleshooting 96/384-well plate assays
• Ability to handle multiple projects in a fast paced environment
• Motivation to build on your current knowledge by developing expertise in new techniques and new areas of disease biology
• Ability to communicate effectively in English: oral, written, presentations

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated knowledge of small molecule drug discovery, including necessary laboratory activities to support advancement of lead optimization projects
• Experience with liquid handling work stations and other automation
• Working knowledge of French

To apply for this position, please send us your CV and a cover letter describing why you are an appropriate candidate for this position. Your CV should include information on your university and post-graduate academic training (e.g. degree, University, time frame and research advisor), a list of relevant post-university employment, and a complete list of your publications (with full authorship list, article title, and journal reference, not just web links).