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 transformation into a fully integrated oncology company well underway, top-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 c