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Driving high-throughput RNA assays to accelerate AI-enabled therapeutic design

InceptivePalo Alto, California, United StatesOnsite

At Inceptive, we don't have titles. Instead of topic experts working in silos, we are building an
antedisciplinary team where everyone is gaining deep knowledge outside of their traditional area of expertise. For this reason, we call ourselves Beginners.At Inceptive, you will drive development forward that could help billions of people. To accomplish this, you will be part of a collaborative, antedisciplinary team building our biological software.Our AI models learn to generate RNA molecules with improved therapeutic properties by training on natural and experimentally-derived data. Acquiring data relevant to RNA function at scale is a critical step in maximizing the performance of our models.

We think broadly about the type and scale of data necessary to improve our models, then identify or invent the methods needed to acquire that data.You will develop and deploy high-throughput assays to characterize properties of large RNA libraries, optimizing and scaling them with a data-driven approach. By leveraging molecular and cellular biology, next-generation sequencing, and automated molecular biology systems, you will generate data to iteratively refine the design of therapeutic RNA molecules. You will collaborate closely with biologists, ML and data engineers, and translational experts to enhance the efficiency and impact of our data generation.

Your Mission, should you choose to accept it


  • Embody our vision of an antedisciplinary environment and embrace learning about areas outside of your traditional area of expertise
  • Collaborate with team members from diverse backgrounds to create experiments that creatively leverage biology and computation
  • Develop and execute pooled assays to profile RNA function in vitro, in cells, and in vivo
  • Generate, analyze, and communicate data that maximally impacts AI-based molecular design

Qualifications


  • PhD, plus postdoc or 2+ years equivalent biotech experience (e.g., industry experience, research, or advanced technical expertise)
  • Problem-solver who combines deep knowledge of experimental methods with quantitative intuition to generate biological data at and beyond the state-of-the-art
  • Solid foundation in theory and techniques of molecular and cellular biology
  • Experience in scaling assays (eg, consortium or pharma-level data collection)
  • Availability to work with team members across US and Europe, with meetings starting at 8am PT
  • Readiness to travel several times a year for company retreats and business events
  • We value in-person collaboration and expect candidates to work at our lab location

Preferred skills


  • Experience with synthetic biology, particularly in mammalian systems
  • Knowledge of RNA biology and biochemistry, and biologics drug development
  • Deep, applied understanding of next-generation sequencing platforms (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore), including library generation and data analysis
  • Experience with using major end-to-end automated molecular biology systems
  • Ability to visualize data and perform statistical analysis, preferably in Python

Compensation


$135K – $240K + Bonus + EquityWhat we offer

  • A competitive compensation package
  • 30 days paid vacation per year
  • Comprehensive health insurance and 401K with company match for US based Beginners, with comparable benefits for those based in other countries
  • Quarterly company-wide retreats
  • Monthly wellness benefit
  • Budget for multiple visits per year to our offices in Berlin, Palo Alto or Switzerland
  • Learning & Development budget to attend conferences, take courses, or otherwise invest in your professional growth, as well as access to the Learning & Development platform EdX and Hone
  • A buddy to help you get settled

*Varies by countryAbout InceptiveAt Inceptive, we are creating tools to develop increasingly powerful biological software for the rational design of novel, broadly accessible medicines and biotechnologies previously out of reach. Our team brings together vast expertise in molecular biology, machine learning, and software engineering, and we are all working towards becoming antedisciplinary, meaning we deepen the knowledge we have in our area of expertise while also expanding our knowledge of completely new fields.We approach our goals with a beginner's mind, humbly and with fresh eyes, and aim to become the pioneers of a new discipline rooted in biology as much as in deep learning, whose impact will be realized together with out-of-the-box thinkers in business and entrepreneurship, defying established categorizations.

We are building a company culture centered around growth, learning, and discovery. We believe in humility and open-mindedness in how we approach each other, as well as problems we don't yet have solutions for.It is the policy of Inceptive to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Inceptive prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.Inceptive is also committed to welcoming and providing accommodations to people with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need any accommodations throughout your application process.

Life at Inceptive

RNA therapeutics and vaccines are transforming the world. To unlock their full potential, however, we need molecules with properties and functions that are impossible to design with existing methods. Inceptive is enabling the design of this next generation of RNA molecules through a singular combination of highly scalable experiments and deep learning.We are led by world-renowned experts in RNA biochemistry and deep learning who contributed to breakthroughs in problems ranging from RNA structure modeling to language understanding, computer vision and machine learning for science. We are growing our world-class team of scientists, computational researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs excited to learn, teach, invent, and create together in pursuit of learning life’s languages to improve the lives of billions of people around the world.
Thrive Here & What We Value1. Antedisciplinary Environment2. Emphasis on Learning and Discovery3. Growth-Oriented Culture4. OpenMindedness and Humility in Approach to Problems5. Collaborative Team Building6. Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity and Accommodations for People with Disabilities7. Innovation and Discovery Focus8. Professional Development Support
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