Toxicology Research Scientist
Vertex Pharmaceuticals
August 12, 2026
On-site
San Diego, CA
Clinical Research and Development
Research Scientist (Predictive and Investigative Safety Assessment/Toxicology) — San Diego (lab-based)
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Design and develop fit-for-purpose assays using advanced 3D organoid models, organ-on-a-chip technologies, and/or co-culture systems.
- Lead development/application of platforms to study toxicology in multicellular systems (including immune cell interactions and primary cell-based models).
- Develop and optimize assays for precision, reproducibility, and scalability.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to integrate in vitro models into drug discovery workflows for safety assessment and therapeutic development.
- Use automation and high-throughput plate formats to improve assay performance and throughput.
- Partner with Systems Toxicology to generate/analyze in vitro datasets to identify mechanisms and support in vitro–in vivo correlations.
- Communicate findings and progress to drive decisions with project teams and stakeholders.
Knowledge and Skills (Required/Preferred):
- Omics familiarity (transcriptomics, proteomics, secretomics, etc.).
- Scripting experience (Python and/or R/Bioconductor).
- Cross-functional collaboration; organized, self-motivated; strong communication/presentation.
- Ability to troubleshoot complex biological/technical issues.
- Passion for advancing toxicology research.
Education and Experience (Required/Preferred):
- Ph.D. (or equivalent) in relevant fields with 0–3 years postdoc, or Master’s (3+ years), or Bachelor’s (6+ years).
- Strong expertise with 3D organoids/organ-on-a-chip/co-culture systems (primary epithelial and immune cells).
- Experience designing/optimizing cell-based assays for disease modeling and/or toxicity mechanisms.
- Immune cell biology and immune-mediated toxicity co-culture expertise.
Pay Range:
- $101,600 – $152,400
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Design and develop fit-for-purpose assays using advanced 3D organoid models, organ-on-a-chip technologies, and/or co-culture systems.
- Lead development/application of platforms to study toxicology in multicellular systems (including immune cell interactions and primary cell-based models).
- Develop and optimize assays for precision, reproducibility, and scalability.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to integrate in vitro models into drug discovery workflows for safety assessment and therapeutic development.
- Use automation and high-throughput plate formats to improve assay performance and throughput.
- Partner with Systems Toxicology to generate/analyze in vitro datasets to identify mechanisms and support in vitro–in vivo correlations.
- Communicate findings and progress to drive decisions with project teams and stakeholders.
Knowledge and Skills (Required/Preferred):
- Omics familiarity (transcriptomics, proteomics, secretomics, etc.).
- Scripting experience (Python and/or R/Bioconductor).
- Cross-functional collaboration; organized, self-motivated; strong communication/presentation.
- Ability to troubleshoot complex biological/technical issues.
- Passion for advancing toxicology research.
Education and Experience (Required/Preferred):
- Ph.D. (or equivalent) in relevant fields with 0–3 years postdoc, or Master’s (3+ years), or Bachelor’s (6+ years).
- Strong expertise with 3D organoids/organ-on-a-chip/co-culture systems (primary epithelial and immune cells).
- Experience designing/optimizing cell-based assays for disease modeling and/or toxicity mechanisms.
- Immune cell biology and immune-mediated toxicity co-culture expertise.
Pay Range:
- $101,600 – $152,400