Associate Director, Immunology

Janux Therapeutics is seeking a highly motivated Associate Director, Immunology with demonstrated skills in the field of cancer immunology, auto-immunity, and/or immune cell biology. The incumbent will ideate, develop, and troubleshoot cell-based assays for pre-clinical programs. These studies will aid in better understanding of MoA and in differentiation of Janux assets within its portfolio as well as from competitor programs. This person will directly manage a team of two scientists within the Immunology group while remaining actively engaged in laboratory research and interacting closely with members across functional teams. A successful candidate will have extensive hands-on experience with cell based assay development and troubleshooting, as well as leading a small team of scientists in laboratory research to ensure priorities, timelines, and deliverables are met. A strong candidate should be able inspire and develop team members, and be accountable for meeting deliverables for the Immunology team.

This position is approximately 30-50% hands-on bench work and requires effective communication and documentation. The ideal applicant will be collaborative and team-oriented, self-motivated, possess excellent communication and organizational skills, and carry a strong commitment to excellence.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

These may include, but will not be limited to:

• Lead the development and execution of experimental assays for screening of lead compounds and differentiation of pre-clinical programs from competitors.
• Proactively identify and troubleshoot bottlenecks in existing workflows, technical challenges in assays, etc. to streamline processes and improve reproducibility.
• Interact closely with project teams and other colleagues to advance programs. This includes within the immunology team and across research teams (ie. pharmacology and therapeutics discovery) to ensure shared activities are prioritized and deliverables are achieved.
• Accurately and efficiently analyze and interpret data. Ensure data quality and data integrity.
• Gather data from multiple studies and sources to present summary of findings. Highlight impact, major conclusions and next steps. Effectively tailors the presentation for intended audience (ie. junior team members, cross functional team members, or leadership).
• Maintain detailed records of studies in electronic lab notebook.
• Translates development activities into new SOPs. Drafts and revises existing protocols, as needed.
• Draft and review study reports for pre-IND and IND enabling studies.
• Set priorities, allocate resources, and manage team activities inside and outside of the laboratory within their reporting line to ensure key milestones and deliverables are achieved.
• Identify new external vendors as needed and maintain oversight on CROs (ie. Sequencing, custom conjugations, mouse models etc.).
• Keep up to date with published literature centered around targets, therapies and mechanisms relevant to Janux programs.
• Directly manage, develop, coach and mentor reporting line staff, fostering individual growth, accountability, and team performance.
• Build and lead a high-performing team through effective goal setting, performance management, coaching, and career development.
• Other duties as deemed necessary.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• A PhD in a scientific discipline is common with a minimum of 6+ years related experience; or postdoc-experience with 4+ years relevant industry experience; BS with minimum 14+ years; MS with minimum 12+ years experience.
• Hands-on experience with development of multi-parameter flow cytometry (10+ colors) assays.
• Proficiency in culture of primary human immune cells (ie. PBMCs) is required.
• Proficiency in flow analysis is required (ie. FlowJo, DIVA, FCS Express, CellEngine, or Cytobank).
• Proficiency in excel, PowerPoint and GraphPad Prism is required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to influence others with or without direct authority.
• Experience directly managing, coaching, and developing a team of at least two scientists is required.
• Experience working with external vendors is a plus.
• Effective troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Success in this role requires great attention to detail with the ability to multitask.
• Skills to be an effective team player, strong individual contributor, self-motivated, flexible, and able to handle multiple tasks and deliver high-quality results under tight timelines.
• Strong organizational skills and related diligence with documentation is required.

$200,000 - $214,000 a year

In addition to a competitive base salary ranging from $200,000 to $214,000, we offer stock options, restricted stock units, a stock purchase plan (ESPP) and a target bonus. Janux also provides a comprehensive benefits package for our employees and their families, which includes medical, dental, vision, and supplemental disability insurance.

Please note that the base salary range is a guideline, and individual total compensation will vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies, internal equity and work location.

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Annual bonus program
• Incentive stock option plan
• 401k plan with flat non-elective employer contribution
• Comprehensive medical insurance with 90-100% employer-paid premiums
• Dental and vision insurance
• HSA, FSA, and supplemental insurance plans (life, disability, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity)
• Unlimited PTO
• Generous holiday schedule; includes summer and winter company shutdown
• Relocation assistance

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Work authorization:

• United States (Required)

Additional Compensation:

• Annual targeted bonus %

Work Location:

• On site (San Diego, CA)

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

Janux Therapeutics, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment and discrimination based upon a protected category, as well as an environment free from retaliation for protected activity.

Notice to Recruiters and Third-Party Agencies

The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Janux. To protect the interests of all parties involved, Janux will only accept resumes from a recruiter once a fully-executed search agreement is in place. Agencies are hereby specifically directed not to contact Janux employees directly in an attempt to present candidates. Janux will consider any candidate for whom an Agency and/or Recruiter has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred, free of any charges or fees.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.