What are the responsibilities and job description for the Research Associate, Early Discovery position at jnanatherapeutics?
About Us
Jnana Therapeutics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its next-generation RAPID chemoproteomics platform to discover medicines for highly validated, challenging-to-drug targets to treat diseases with high unmet needs. Jnana is focused on developing first- and best-in-class therapies to treat a wide range of diseases, including rare diseases and immune-mediated diseases. Jnana’s lead program, JNT-517, which targets an allosteric site on the phenylalanine transporter SLC6A19, is a potential first-in-class oral approach for the treatment of PKU, a rare genetic metabolic disease. Located in Boston, Jnana brings together scientific leaders in small molecule drug discovery and development, and a highly experienced management team. For more information, please visit www.jnanatx.com and follow us on Twitter/X and LinkedIn.
At Jnana, you'll join a diverse, passionate team dedicated to advancing therapies for challenging diseases. Our collaborative, purpose-driven culture fosters innovation, urgency, and belonging—making Jnana a great place to work!
About the Opportunity
Jnana Therapeutics is seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated Research Associate to join our multidisciplinary team. This position offers the opportunity to contribute across Chemical Biology and Compound Management, supporting cutting-edge drug discovery efforts to unlock challenging targets using our novel hit generation platform and a variety of high-throughput, cell-based, and biochemical assays.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone excited to grow their career in biotech, gaining exposure to both experimental science and core infrastructure that drives early discovery.
Responsibilities
- Operate and maintain state-of-the-art laboratory automation equipment (e.g., Tecan liquid handlers, Biotek plate washers, Echo acoustic dispensers) to support high-throughput screening, compound management, and assay-ready plate generation.
- Create and manage picklists, track compound and assay data, and organize requests across multiple projects.
- Generate and manage assay-ready plates for a variety of applications, including biochemical assays, cellular assays, and hit generation.
- Weigh, solubilize, and organize newly synthesized compounds for compound management.
- Perform high-throughput screening using advanced lab automation platforms (e.g., Tecan, Echo, Biotek).
- Participate in running Jnana’s proprietary small molecule hit generation platform, RAPID.
- Work collaboratively across teams while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Preferred Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biology, Biochemistry, or a related discipline.
- 1–2 years of industry or academic lab experience (Co-op experience welcomed).
- Familiarity with lab automation and/or compound management preferred.
- Strong communication, organization, and time management skills.
- Detail-oriented, with the ability to multitask in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Must be a committed, collaborative self-starter with a passion for learning and problem-solving.
