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Senior Research Scientist, Integrated Pharmacology (Contract)

Atrium Works


Job Location:

Boston, MA - USA

Monthly Salary: Not provided by the employer
Posted: 22 August 2026 (22 days ago)
Application Deadline: 19 November 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Job Description

We seek a highly independent collaborative and innovative scientist to join the Quantitative Cellular Pharmacology team in the Integrated Pharmacology group at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The ideal candidate will be self-motivated with a strong foundation in cell biology and/or biochemistry and have experience with cell-based/biochemical assays. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing human disease-relevant assays to understand and address the underlying cause of serious life-threatening diseases. Our ideal candidate will have a track record of innovation in the field. The Integrated Pharmacology group supports late-stage drug discovery for all disease areas in the Vertex drug discovery portfolio at the Boston site and the Senior Research Scientist will be a member of multiple discovery project teams.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead the development of cell-based and/or biochemical assays for small molecule discovery as a key member of discovery project teams
  • Execute cell based and/or biochemical assays supporting medicinal chemistry optimization characterize our lead molecules in in vitromodels of human disease and meet deliverables for preclinical development projects
  • Analyze critically interpret and present data to cross-functional project teams and recommend courses of action based on datasets and discussions with biologists and chemists
  • Propose and develop innovative approaches to small molecule discovery based on the latest technologies and publications in the field
  • Identify and evaluate new technologies to improve efficiency and processes
  • Strong interpersonal verbal and written communication skills
  • Be a key member of the Integrated Pharmacology group and serve as a strong representative on interdisciplinary project teams
  • Ensure data integrity and compliance under Vertex policies

Knowledge & Skills:

  • Strong understanding of Cell Biology and expertise in cell-based and/or biochemical assay development
  • Target identification/validation mechanism of action studies and understanding drug candidate pharmacology using innovative approaches and technologies is required
  • Experience with miniaturized assays (384) knowledge of multiplex assay platforms multi-parametric data analysis and basic command line programming is helpful
  • Self-motivation independence organization effective communication and presentation skills; adept in solving/troubleshooting complex problems as well as the ability to navigate a fast-paced work environment
  • A desire to be part of a highly innovative company aimed at transforming the lives of people with serious diseases their families and society

Education & Experience:

  • PhD (or equivalent degree) in a relevant discipline (Cell Biology Molecular Biology Pharmacology Biochemistry or related Biological Sciences) and 2-5 years of productive relevant industry or postdoctoral experience in cell-based and/or biochemical assays to lead discovery optimization and characterization
  • Masters Degree (or equivalent degree) in molecular biology cell biology biochemistry or related disciplines and 5 years of relevant employment experience or
  • Bachelors Degree (or equivalent degree) in molecular biology cell biology biochemistry or related disciplines and 8 years of relevant employment experience

Contract Length: 6 months

Pay Range

$64/hr. - $66/hr.

Shift/Hours

Monday - Friday

Requisition Disclaimer

This job posting is for a temporary role with a third-party agency partner on assignment at Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Vertex). The individual selected for this role will be offered the role as an employee of a third- party agency partner; compensation medical benefits fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment shall be presented by the third-party agency partner upon offer. The pay rate range provided is a reasonable estimate of the anticipated compensation range for this job at the time of posting. The actual pay rate will be based on a number of factors including skills competencies experience location and/or being pursued and other job-related factors permitted by addition this role will be eligible for overtime pay in accordance with federal and state requirements

By applying for this position you agree to the Atrium Terms and Conditions and you direct Atrium to share your application materials which may include your CV/Resume email address or phone number with Vertex. For more information on how Vertex handles your personal data related to your job application please see Vertexs Careers Privacy Notice. Agreeing to the Atrium Terms and Conditions includes permission to use the email address and mobile phone number you provide during the application process or throughout the duration of your prospective or actual employment to notify you of job openings profiles articles news and other employment-related information as well as to notify you of special promotions or additional products and services offered by us or our affiliates and partners

(collectively Atrium Alerts). Atrium Alerts may be sent by email phone or text message. Your personal information will be safely stored within the Atrium & Vertex databases. Atrium does not sell your personal information to third parties. Text message and data rates may apply. To OPT OUT of text messaging or to modify your communication preferences for Atrium Alerts at any time please contact Atrium at .

If you do not agree with the Atrium Terms and Conditions you can still complete your application for this position by emailing your resume to our team at Please include the job title in the subject of your email.

No C2C or Third-Party Vendors


Required Experience:

Senior IC