Company:
Kidney disease is a severe and growing worldwide health challenge that affects 1 in 7 people. Without effective treatments patients can experience kidney failure leading to dialysis and transplantation, a high burden to patients, families and the health care system. Despite recent advances for certain kidney disease patients, many forms of highly prevalent kidney diseases do not have effective treatments.
Borealis was founded on the premise that a convergence of scientific and translational breakthroughs will enable RNA therapeutics to address some of the largest untreated kidney diseases and beyond. Borealis builds on the success of Chinook Therapeutics, a kidney disease company with a research site in Vancouver that was acquired by Novartis in 2023 for up to $3.5 billion. The Borealis team has strong leadership and academic advisors who were central to research at Chinook, together with additional leadership in the field of RNA therapeutics. We are headquartered in Vancouver, BC, with state-of-the-art wet labs for molecular and cellular biology, in vivo pharmacology, chemistry, DMPK, bioinformatics and analytical capabilities.
We are a creative and innovative team that strives for excellence in all we do and has fun along the way. Our core focus is on helping patients and advancing science. For more information on Borealis, check out our sites https://borealisbio.com & https://www.linkedin.com/company/borealis-biosciences-inc.
We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most innovative talent on our team. We are building a diverse and inclusive workforce – come and be a part of our growth! We strongly encourage candidates with less traditional backgrounds or those who may meet the qualifications in a different way to apply.
Position:
Borealis Biosciences is seeking an enthusiastic and collaborative scientist to join the Discovery Biology team at our laboratories situated in Vancouver, Canada. The successful candidate will play a key role in leading biological strategies and lab activities supporting platform development and preclinical drug discovery programs. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work with an innovative and collaborative team that has deep scientific experience and a focus on patients.

Responsibilities include:

• Serve as program lead of a cross-functional drug discovery project team involved in a wide range of activities from lead identification to DC nomination
• Lead the development and optimization of key in vitro biological assays for RNAi delivery platform development
• Supervise and mentor members of the biology team by guiding experimental execution and trouble shooting
• Contribute to Borealis’ overall platform and preclinical research strategy
• Contribute innovative solutions to complex in vitro biological questions
• Interact across disciplines with chemists, DMPK scientists, in vivo pharmacologists and translational scientists to advance therapeutic programs
• Establish and manage external vendors and collaborations to ensure effective project execution
• Contribute to and participate in the development and maintenance of a positive team-focused company culture

Location:

• This is an on-site lab-based position located in Borealis Bio’s Vancouver, BC headquarters.

Education, Experience, and Skills:

• PhD degree in cell biology, biochemistry or another related discipline with minimum 3 years’ industrial experience in biotechnology or pharmaceutical drug discovery setting; or Masters’ degree with minimum 5 years’ relevant experience
• A proven track-record of leading and advancing drug discovery projects
• Strong working knowledge in RNAi, molecular biology, cell biology and genomics; direct experience in RNAi therapeutic discovery is a strong plus
• Hands-on experience in cell-based assay development and complex cell culture system such as co-culture, 3D or organoid culture
• Knowledge in kidney diseases or adjacent disease area is an asset
• Effective time management skills and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional team environment
• Experience in mentoring and managing lab-based team members
• A strong team player with a passion for science and drug discovery
• Positive attitude and high personal and ethical standards

Compensation: The annual salary range is $122,000 - $142,000 and Borealis Bio provides competitive benefits including RRSP matching, extended medical, dental, vision and a Wellness Spending Account up to $1,800 per year. Base salary and title/level will be determined based on the qualifications of the successful candidate.
Borealis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. We are committed to fostering an environment where ALL people are welcome and supported. We cultivate a culture of inclusion for all employees that respects their individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team – one that makes better decisions, drives innovation, and delivers better business results. Creativity and innovation flourish in an environment of openness, inclusion, and mutual respect

• Serve as program lead of a cross-functional drug discovery project team involved in a wide range of activities from lead identification to DC nomination
• Lead the development and optimization of key in vitro biological assays for RNAi delivery platform development
• Supervise and mentor members of the biology team by guiding experimental execution and trouble shooting
• Contribute to Borealis’ overall platform and preclinical research strategy
• Contribute innovative solutions to complex in vitro biological questions
• Interact across disciplines with chemists, DMPK scientists, in vivo pharmacologists and translational scientists to advance therapeutic programs
• Establish and manage external vendors and collaborations to ensure effective project execution
• Contribute to and participate in the development and maintenance of a positive team-focused company cultur