Scientist II - Biology

Olema Oncology is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to transforming the standard of care and improving outcomes for patients living with breast cancer and beyond. It’s an exciting time to be part of Team Olema , with our transfor mation into a fully integrated oncology company well underway , t op-line data from our lead program expected later this year , and our first potential commercial launch on the horizon.

Our lead product candidate, palazestrant, is a novel, orally available complete estrogen receptor antagonist (CERAN) and selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) currently in two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials. We expect top-line data from OPERA-01, our ongoing Phase 3 trial of palazestrant as a monotherapy in patients with second- or third-line ER+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (MBC), in the fall which, if successful, could lead to our first potential approval and commercial launch in 2027. OPERA-02, our Phase 3 trial of palazestrant in combination with ribociblib in patients with frontline ER+/HER2- MBC, is enrolling patients. Together with its mechanism of action, pharmacokinetic properties, and the potential to demonstrate activity in both ESR1 wild-type and mutant tumors, palazestrant has the potential to transform the metastatic breast cancer treatment paradigm and access a $15 billion global market opportunity.

Our follow-on product candidate, OP-3136, is a potent KAT6 inhibitor with the potential to generate further value and meaningfully impact the metastatic breast cancer treatment landscape – particularly in combination with palazestrant. We recently reported encouraging Phase 1 monotherapy data from this program across multiple solid tumor types and are advancing patient enrollment in the ongoing combination arms in MBC.

Aspiring to transform the metastatic treatment paradigm is an ambitious endeavor that requires a resolute approach to developing better therapies and a passionate team dedicated to helping the patients we serve feel better, longer. We possess a deep commitment to our shared purpose, the sustained pursuit of excellence, cultivating the courage required to advance our programs, drive to succeed, and a collective capacity for adaptability through learning, growth, and evolution. Team Olema is made up of nimble self-starters who bring consistency in their quest for the extraordinary every single day.

If you’re ready to be part of a tenacious, courageous, agile, and growing team, join us in making a profound impact, together – for  our patients, for your career, and for what’s beyond .

About the role >>> Scientist II - Biology

The Role:

Olema Oncology is currently seeking a talented and innovative Scientist II to join the Research Biology team as a screening specialist. Responsibilities of this position will include developing biology specific strategies for early-stage research projects, development and execution of biochemical and/or cellular phenotypic screening assays of new drug candidates, programming and use of liquid handler automation systems, as well as mentorship of junior scientists within the team.

You will be responsible for conducting experiments to generate high-quality data and communicate these results regularly within our project teams. You will work collaboratively within the research team to assist in the conduct of early-stage research, the goal of which is the identification of New Chemical Entities (NCEs). The Scientist II in our Research Biology organization will support adherence to all regulatory requirements and company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The final level may be adjusted based on the experience of the candidate.

What You Will Do:

The selected candidate will be responsible for:

Design, optimization and execution of primary screening experiments, the goal of which is the identification of additional hits and new chemical scaffolds

Provide support for lead optimization by screening compounds and/or supporting structure activity relationship (SAR) studies involving the characterization of the biological activity of compounds in various assays

Assist in the development of biology specific strategies to help progress small-molecule oncology target discovery programs

Presentation and communication of results as part of multi-disciplinary team(s)

Manage and program automated liquid handlers (Tecan Fluent, Biomek etc.) for medium/high throughput screening assays

Assist in the identification/validation of new targets for drug discovery programs

Mentor junior team members

Work cross-functionally within the Research team, design and communicate Biology strategy and workflows to progress projects from hit to lead onwards

Apply relevant scientific principles and techniques to research problems

Maintain detailed electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN) and record results in a timely manner

Maintain knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and techniques

Present findings internally and externally and contribute to the publication of the work of the project team

May contribute to the development of patent applications as appropriate

Comply with all safety requirements

General lab duties as assigned

Ideal Candidate Profile >>>

A love of challenging, important work. We are a pragmatic team, driven to imagine and develop meaningful therapies for improving lives. All employees within our company play a unique and crucial role in our success, both in accomplishing our mission and building a positive company culture. As such, we are looking for someone with the right combination of knowledge, experience, and attributes for this role.

Knowledge:

PhD. in Cancer Biology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, or a related field

Minimum 4+ years of relevant industry experience, with small molecule drug discovery

Oncology experience required

Hands-on experience with laboratory automation platforms such as Tecan, Hamilton, or Beckman Coulter Biomek , including programming, developing, optimizing , and troubleshooting automated methods

Experience:

Prior experience with in vitro assay development, execution, and optimization for small molecule drug screening, ideally within a drug discovery setting

Experience in designing and delivering biology strategies for research projects

Experience working on targets relevant to ER+ breast cancer biology preferred, Oncology experience required

Knowledge of breast cancer and/or cancer signaling pathways preferred

Excellent and proven project management skills

Complete understanding and wide application of technical principles, theories, concepts and techniques

Knowledge of and ability to use standard molecular and cell biology techniques are required, for example, Western blotting, microscopy, plate-based assays and qRT-PCR

Asceptic mammalian cell culture experienced is required

Knowledge of scientific principles and concepts, and current on relevant scientific literature

Good general knowledge of other related disciplines

Ability to read, analyze and interpret common scientific and technical journals

Strong publication track record in oncology, biochemistry and/or drug discovery

Experience working with high throughput screening with robotic liquid-handling automation tools is required

Experience with assay miniaturization and optimization preferred

Experience with automation software such as FluentControl and VENUS , as well as formal vendor training or certification, is strongly preferred

Proficiency with Microsoft Office. Proficiency with GraphPad Prism, or other analytical software

Experience working with Dotmatics or similar database/ELN software is preferred

Data Science/Informatics skills and experience is preferred

Attributes:

Excellent verbal and written communication and skills

Analytical thinking with problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines

Effective planning, organization and time management skills including the ability to support and prioritize multiple projects

A commitment to excellence

A self-motivated, flexible and enthusiastic team player who is excited about advancing new medicines and delivering impactful drugs

Teamwork and collaboration; balances team and individual responsibilities; gives and welcomes feedback; puts success of team above own interests; supports everyone's efforts to succeed; shares expertise with others

Entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to prioritize key work-streams and requirements that will change over the near and mid-term

A demonstrated ability to make decisions on incomplete information and in areas where a high degree of professional judgment is required

Be a “difference maker” in terms of one’s professionalism and contributions

Have impeccable professional ethics, integrity and judgment

Be collegial, hard-working, confident, a self-starter and have a passion for results

The base pay range for this position is expected to be $150,000 - $165,000 annually, however the base pay offered may vary depending on location, market, job related knowledge, skills and capabilities, and experience. The total compensation package for this position also includes equity, bonus, and benefits.

#LI-MT1 Important Information >>>

We provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment and believe that great ideas and discoveries come from a mix of expertise, background, and experience. Olema is building a culture where the value of difference is celebrated.

We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package , seeking to provide an open, flexible, and friendly work environment to empower employees and provide them with a platform to develop their long-term careers. A Summary of Benefits is available for all applicants.

Please note: Olema doesn’t accept agency resumes and is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes. Thank you.

Fraud Alert : We are aware of employment scams where individuals pose as representatives of Olema Oncology and make false use of our company name to defraud job seekers. To protect yourself, please note that Olema’s official email addresses end in @olema.com. Our official corporate website is olema.com ; our careers page is olema.com/careers ; our LinkedIn page is linkedin.com/company/olema-oncology . Please visit these links for official information from Olema. Communication from any other variant is fraudulent. Olema does not conduct interviews via text message/messaging platforms, will not ask you to download anything as part of your interview, will never request any form of payment, provide upfront payments of any kind, and does not make job offers without an in-person interview.