Research Associate, Translational Biology (CONTRACT)

septerna

South San Francisco, California, United States · South San Francisco · United States

Posted Jul 17, 2026

Full-time
1310 - Research : Translation medicine : Disease biology

Job description

Septerna is a biotechnology company based in South San Francisco, CA on a mission to develop life-changing medicines for patients with the vision to become the industry-leading G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-focused drug discovery company. The company’s Native Complex Platform™ recapitulates GPCRs with their native structure, function, and dynamics outside of the cellular context. This approach enables novel access to modern structural and screening technologies used in industrial-scale drug discovery for the entire class of GPCRs. Septerna has an emerging pipeline of GPCR-targeted small molecule programs with potential for growth to target many GPCRs that have been undruggable and unexploited to date.

We are excited to expand our multidisciplinary team of individuals focused on creating revolutionary medicines to address the unmet needs of patients. At Septerna we strive to embrace diversity of thought, expertise, and background through collaboration. To join our ambitious team, be prepared to bring your real self to work every day; grow and learn from a talented team of drug hunters, scientists, and business professionals; and contribute your passion, creativity, and energy to accomplish our mission. We share a fearless pursuit of ground-breaking innovations and cultivate an environment where our employees succeed by learning from each other and working as a team.

We are committed to the development of meaningful therapeutics for patients with indications of high unmet need. This is a tremendous opportunity to work with talented individuals on the frontlines of therapeutic discovery and development. You will directly help move therapies through preclinical research, positioning them for success in the clinic. The successful candidate will add their passion, unique talents, and expertise to a dynamic team motivated to discover new disease-modifying therapeutics for patients in a fast-paced environment.

For more information see: www.septerna.com.

THE ROLE

This is a contracted position requiring 20-30 hours per week for a 6-month term. The Veterinary Technician / Research Associate will initially be responsible for conducting in vivo rodent studies, with the potential to engage in additional ex vivo or in vitro studies in the Translational Sciences Department to support the advancement of Septerna’s small molecule drug discovery pipeline. The candidate will work independently and collaboratively in an inter-disciplinary setting to execute experiments in preclinical models to understand in vivo pharmacology, establish PK/PD relationships, and inform the efficacy of Septerna’s therapeutic candidates. They will help generate in vivo and/or ex vivo data to determine therapeutic mechanisms of action, in vivo efficacy, and rank candidates for preclinical development. This role is expected to be primarily in the lab with some desk work. Regular weekend working hours will be required.

We are committed to the development of meaningful therapeutics for patients with indications of high unmet need. This is a tremendous opportunity to work with talented individuals on the frontlines of therapeutic discovery and development. You will help move therapies through preclinical development, positioning them for success in the clinic. The successful candidate will add their passion, unique talents, and expertise to a dynamic team on the frontlines of innovative therapeutic development.

The position is based in South San Francisco, CA.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Execute in vivo pharmacology studies to understand therapeutic mechanisms in relevant disease models
Work collaboratively to determine the mechanism of action of drug candidates, primarily with in vivo models
Be a member of multiple project teams
Dose large volumes of animals (approx. 50-80 rats per day)
Maintain and organize lab spaces
Follow all company policies/practices, and maintain accurate records and notebooks
Perform routine weekend study activities

REQUIRED EDUCATION, SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

At least 2 years direct full-time experience with in vivo studies in academia or the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
Experience working in vivarium laboratory settings with rats
Demonstrated ability to be hands on and work directly with rodent models, including multiple routes of administration (e.g. oral, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intravenous, intramuscular) and sample collection (e.g. tail vein bleeds, jugular bleeds, cardiac puncture, necropsies, etc.).
Experience working with other scientists to collect and record study data consistently and accurately
Ability to collaborate and trouble-shoot biological experiments
Detail-oriented and organized, with strong interpersonal skills for clear and effective communication – ability to proactively engage and collaboration with colleagues

PREFERRED SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

BSc in Pharmacology, Toxicology, Animal Science, or related biological science
Experience working with in vitro/ex vivo protein and RNA/DNA assays (e.g. ELISA, qPCR)
Experience with subcutaneous injections and oral gavage routes of administration
Experience collecting and processing blood samples, especially timed blood collections
Experience with cell culture
Experience with data analysis using Excel and/or Prism
Experience working with rodent surgical models
Previous work on therapeutic discovery and development programs in the field of endocrine, inflammatory, neuroscience, or metabolic diseases

The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in South San Francisco, CA is $30.00/hr - $40.00/hr. Individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including, and without limitation, job-related skills, experience, work location and relevant education or training.

Note to Employment Agencies: Please do not forward any agency resumes. The company will not be responsible for any fees related to resumes that are unsolicited. We are an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status. Septerna participates in the E-Verify program. California Consumer Privacy Act Privacy Notice For Job Applicants. If you are a California resident, click here for our CCPA Notice.