Scientific Associate I (Assay Development and Biophysics)

Company Description

UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.

UHN’s vision is to build A Healthier World and it’s only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality.

www.uhn.ca

Job Description

Union: Non-Union
Number of vacancies: 2
New or Replacement Position: New
Site: Princess Margaret Research, MaRS Centre
Department: Research
Reports to: Principal Investigator
Salary Range: $38.70 - $48.37 per hour
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Shifts: Monday-Friday
Status: Temporary Full-time (1 year contract; possibility of renewal)
Closing Date: November 16, 2026

Position Summary

The Scientific Associate I, Assay Development and Biophysics, will contribute to an innovative, data-driven drug discovery programme supporting Target 2035, a global initiative to develop high-quality chemical tools for every protein in the human proteome. Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the successful candidate will perform biochemical and biophysical assays to validate protein–ligand interactions, analyse experimental results, and ensure high-quality data reporting to internal databases and external repositories. A particular focus of the role will be the development and application of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays to support hit validation, mechanism-of-action studies and chemical probe discovery.

This role also involves supporting assay development, training laboratory members, contributing to manuscripts and scientific reports, and collaborating across multidisciplinary teams to advance multiple open science drug discovery programmes. We work closely with academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, technology developers and non-profit organisations to create innovative technologies, chemical tools and openly accessible datasets that make biomedical research faster, more collaborative and more impactful.

As part of the Centre for Collaborative Drug Discovery (C2D2) and the international Target 2035 community, our open science, milestone-driven research seeks to revolutionise and democratise drug discovery by generating high-quality reagents, data and technologies that enable the study of previously understudied proteins and accelerate the development of new medicines.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead biophysical studies on cutting-edge drug discovery programmes.
• Access to state-of-the-art instrumentation, including Cytiva Biacore 8K and a fully equipped biophysics suite.
• An open, collaborative research environment with strong international academic and industry partnerships.
• Opportunities for scientific leadership, publication and career development.
• The chance to contribute to open science initiatives that accelerate therapeutic discovery worldwide.

Duties

• Design, perform and analyse protein-ligand binding experiments using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) as the primary biophysical platform.
• Develop and optimise SPR assays for hit validation, affinity determination, kinetic characterisation and mechanistic studies.
• Apply complementary biophysical techniques including DSF, MST, ITC, fluorescence polarisation, BLI and mass spectrometry where appropriate.
• Contribute to screening campaigns supporting chemical probe and early drug discovery projects.
• Analyse experimental data and communicate findings to multidisciplinary project teams.
• Maintain accurate experimental records using electronic laboratory notebooks and internal databases.
• Assist with development of standard operating procedures and best practices for biophysical assays.
• Contribute to scientific manuscripts, grant applications and conference presentations.
• Help maintain shared instrumentation and laboratory equipment.
• Support and train students and new laboratory members in biophysical techniques as experience develops.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Biophysics, Chemical Biology or a related discipline required
• At least 1 year of related experience required
• Recent postdoctoral experience or equivalent research experience in protein biochemistry or biophysics
• Demonstrated experience with Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), including assay development, experimental design, kinetic analysis and affinity measurements
• Experience with recombinant protein purification and biochemical assay development
• Strong quantitative data analysis skills and meticulous attention to experimental detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a collaborative multidisciplinary team
• Experience with one or more complementary biophysical techniques (DSF, MST, ITC, BLI, fluorescence polarisation, HDX-MS or native MS) preferred
• Experience supporting hit validation or early-stage drug discovery projects preferred
• Familiarity with structural biology or medicinal chemistry workflows preferred
• Experience with electronic laboratory notebooks and data management systems preferred
• Evidence of scientific productivity through publications or conference presentations preferred

Additional Information

Why join UHN?

In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals and researchers in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.

• Competitive offer packages
• Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP https://hoopp.com/)
• Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
• A flexible work environment
• Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
• Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)

Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.

All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.

UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly. At University Health Network (UHN), artificial intelligence technologies may be used to assist in the screening, assessment, and selection of candidates for this position.

Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.

UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.