Senior Scientist I, Pharmacologist

We are seeking a highly motivated in vitro electrophysiologist to join our collaborative Migraine and Pain drug discovery team.  The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in ion channel biology and patch-clamp electrophysiology to support functional, pharmacological, and mechanistic studies that advance novel therapeutics.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Design and execute manual patch-clamp electrophysiology experiments to characterize ion channel pharmacology, biophysical properties, and cellular excitability in relevant cell and disease models including primary, hiPSC-derived, and recombinant cell lines.
• Lead design, execution, and analysis of studies on automated patch-clamp platforms (e.g. SyncroPatch).  This will include both operation and training/guidance of more junior scientists on the instrument.
• Contribute to studies utilizing multi-electrode (MEA) recordings and complimentary fluorescence-based assays (e.g. calcium imaging, membrane potential assays) as needed.
• Support target identification, validation, and compound profiling to advance our Neuroscience pipeline, with a focus on pain-relevant ion channel families including both voltage-and ligand-gated channels.
• Apply broad cell and molecular biology skills to support mechanistic studies and complement electrophysiology-based work (e.g., cell culture, Western blot, Microscopy, transient transfection, RNAi approaches, etc).
• Read and adapt scientific literature to stay current in the field and advance techniques and innovative approaches
• Independently generate precise, reliable, and reproducible data in a timely manner; interpret and effectively communicate results to cross-functional project teams and diverse audiences.
• Contribute to scientific publications and present findings at internal and external scientific meetings and conferences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 10 years of experience, Master’s Degree and  8 years of experience, PhD and no experience necessary in Neuroscience, Biology, or related field.
• Demonstrated proficiency in manual patch-clamp electrophysiology across multiple recording configurations (e.g. whole-cell, cell-attached, perforated-patch, single-channel) and ion channel pharmacology.
• Proficiency with electrophysiology data acquisition and analysis software (e.g., Axon, HEKA, or equivalent).
• Strong quantitative skills in biophysical analysis: concentration-response curves, channel gating kinetics, and state-dependent pharmacology.
• Experience working with heterologous expression systems (e.g. HEK293 or CHO) and/or primary neurons, DRG neurons, or hiPSC-derived neuronal/sensory neuron preparations.
• Experience with automated patch-clamp platforms (e.g., SyncroPatch or Qube) is highly valued.
• Ability to work in a highly collaborative, fast-paced scientific environment towards a common goal of advancing novel therapeutics to impact patients.
• Additional beneficial qualifications include a background in Neuroscience or pain/migraine and/or experience with ex vivo slice electrophysiology, multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings, or single channel recordings.

Key Competencies:

• Communicates scientific findings clearly and effectively, both in writing and verbally
• Independent, flexible thinker with capacity to develop novel methodologies and apply emerging technologies to address key gaps.
• Strategic thinking that connects experimental approaches with broader program objectives.
• Applies quantitative and analytical thinking to complex biological problems.
• Builds strong relationships with peers and actively contributes to a positive, inclusive, and collaborative working environment.

Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law: ​

• The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. ​
• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.​
• This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs. ​

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of  any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law. ​

AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community.  Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. 

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