Scientist, Translational Neuroscience

Who we are:

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives. Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs. 

Position Description:

Calico is seeking a passionate neuroscientist experienced in in vitro disease modeling to join the Translational Neuroscience group at Calico. The Translational Neuroscience group within the drug development organization actively collaborates with the research and discovery technology departments to further our mission of developing therapeutics for age-related diseases. 

The position is aimed at developing complex cellular models of neurodegenerative disease to be used for generating and testing therapeutic hypotheses. The successful candidate will have a deep understanding of developmental neuroscience, tissue engineering and pathology of neurodegenerative diseases. They will work within a creatively enriching calico ecosystem of experts from protein sciences, biochemistry, cellular phenotyping, statistical genetics, physiology, preclinical imaging and biomarker groups. A good understanding of neurodegenerative disease pathobiology, mechanisms and models is required. 

  Position Responsibilities:

• Establish and validate novel in vitro models of age-related neurodegenerative diseases, incorporating disease-relevant parameters to closely mimic human pathology
• Interface with Calico cores, technology labs, and research labs to identify synergies with in-house validated tools and assays that can be applied to translational projects
• Build on identified synergies to develop new assays or refine existing ones, ensuring they are optimally designed for testing therapeutic hypotheses relevant to neurodegenerative diseases and mechanisms of aging
• Contextualize and communicate the results with the relevant project teams, integrating findings with current knowledge and hypotheses in the field

Position Requirements:

• PhD in neuroscience, cell biology, bioengineering or related fields and 2+ years of post-doctoral experience in academia or industry
• The ideal candidate is passionate about translational neuroscience research and driven to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary setting
• Expertise in working with complex cell-based models of neurodegenerative diseases
• Hands-on experience working with mouse and human pluripotent stem cells and 3D brain organoids or assembloids
• Deep understanding of cutting-edge molecular biology methods including sequencing techniques and CRISPR based genome editing methods
• Hands on experience with high content imaging-based readouts and advanced microscopic techniques such as tissue clearing and light sheet microscopy
• Experience in tissue engineering and automation is a plus
• Proven track record of high-quality scientific publications
• Strong interpersonal skills and excellent communication abilities  
• Must be willing to work onsite at least four days a week

The estimated base salary range for this role is $127,000 - $135,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.