1

Discovery Biology Jobs (NOW HIRING)

$120 - $180/hr

This role will work closely with Discovery Biology, Translational Medicine, Clinical Development, and external collaborators to analyze and integrate genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical datasets to ...

Research Associate

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$25 - $35/hr

We are currently looking for a Research Associate, Discovery Biology and Pharmacology to work for a leading Greater Los Angeles area biologics company. Pay Rate: $25-35/hour depending on experience.

$132 - $159/hr

Position Summary We are seeking a highly motivated Cancer Biologist to join the Molecular Pharmacology discovery biology team at the Protein Homeostasis TRC in San Diego, CA. The qualified candidate ...

Showing results 41-60

Discovery Biology information

See salary details

$12

$39

$63

How much do discovery biology jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average hourly pay for discovery biology in the United States is $39.94, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $30.53 and $48.08 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is discovery biology?

Discovery Biology is a field within the life sciences that focuses on identifying and understanding new biological targets, pathways, and mechanisms that can be used to develop new drugs or therapies. Scientists in Discovery Biology use a variety of techniques, including genomics, proteomics, cell-based assays, and animal models, to explore disease biology and validate targets. Their work is often the first step in the drug discovery process, providing crucial insights that guide subsequent medicinal chemistry and pharmacology efforts.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a discovery biologist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Discovery Biologist, you need a strong background in molecular biology, biochemistry, and pharmacology, typically supported by an advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in a life science field. Familiarity with laboratory automation, high-throughput screening platforms, and data analysis software such as GraphPad Prism or Spotfire is common. Critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills help you effectively design experiments and work within multidisciplinary teams. These skills are essential for advancing drug discovery projects and translating scientific findings into therapeutic innovations.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in discovery biology, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Discovery Biology often face challenges such as rapidly evolving scientific technologies, interpreting complex biological data, and coordinating across interdisciplinary teams. Staying updated with the latest research and methodologies is crucial, as is developing strong communication skills to effectively collaborate with chemists, data scientists, and pharmacologists. Additionally, managing multiple projects and adapting to shifting priorities are common; successful professionals are proactive, flexible, and committed to continuous learning.

What is the difference between Discovery Biology vs Research Scientist?

AspectDiscovery BiologyResearch Scientist
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Biology, Life Sciences, or related fieldsBachelor's, Master's, or PhD in relevant scientific disciplines
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, research facilities, pharmaceutical or biotech companiesAcademic labs, industry R&D, government agencies
Employer & Industry UsageBiotech, pharma, research institutions focusing on early-stage discoveryBroader research roles across industries, including applied and basic research

Discovery Biology roles typically focus on identifying new biological targets and understanding biological processes in early-stage research, often within biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Research Scientists have a broader scope, conducting experiments across various stages of research, including applied and translational studies. Both roles require strong scientific backgrounds, but Discovery Biology is more specialized in initial discovery phases.

More about Discovery Biology jobs

What cities are hiring for Discovery Biology jobs?

Cities with the most Discovery Biology job openings:

What states have the most Discovery Biology jobs?

States with the most job openings for Discovery Biology jobs include:

Infographic showing various Discovery Biology job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 83% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $83,075 per year, or $39.9 per hour.

Senior Principal Scientist, Cancer Immunology, Discovery Biology, Oncology Thematic Research Center

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Seattle, WA • On-site

$112K - $142K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.


Bristol Myers Squibb rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 51 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

32nd of 86 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Working with Us
Challenging. Meaningful. Life-changing. Those aren't words that are usually associated with a job. But working at Bristol Myers Squibb is anything but usual. Here, uniquely interesting work happens every day, in every department. From optimizing a production line to the latest breakthroughs in cell therapy, this is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. You'll get the chance to grow and thrive through opportunities uncommon in scale and scope, alongside high-achieving teams. Take your career farther than you thought possible.
Bristol Myers Squibb recognizes the importance of balance and flexibility in our work environment. We offer a wide variety of competitive benefits, services and programs that provide our employees with the resources to pursue their goals, both at work and in their personal lives. Read more: careers.bms.com/working-with-us.
The Oncology Thematic Research Center at BMS is one of the fundamental research and early development engines delivering oncology therapeutics to patients. Housed in state-of-the-art research and development sites in Cambridge and Seattle and embedded in vibrant ecosystems of research and innovation. The Oncology teams drive novel therapeutic interventions exploiting tumor intrinsic pathways and mechanisms of cancer immunology to treat tumors that are refractory to current treatments. We are fully integrated from drug discovery through translational and early clinical development using state-of-the-art in vitro, in vivo and ex-vivo models of cancer and immune biology to identify and validate novel targets and therapeutic approaches. We partner closely with colleagues in Translational Medicine, Informatics and Predictive Sciences and Early Clinical Development to generate biomarker and patient enrichment hypotheses to enable efficient decision making in early clinical trials. We are optimally positioned to complement the world-class translational expertise, biology and leading academic research centers in the area.
Position Summary:
We are seeking an innovative immunologist and leader to help shape our strategy and advance our portfolio of pioneering T cell engager and cancer immunology therapies to treat cancers. As a successful candidate you will be part of a multi-disciplinary, groundbreaking team within Discovery Biology at the Oncology Thematic Research Center in Seattle, WA, driving projects from concept to clinic, leveraging proprietary technologies and collaborating with top experts in the field. You will work with leadership to define strategy, provide mentorship to junior scientists, and drive multi-functional teams to bring both internal and external assets to patients. Our team thrives on creativity, rigorous science, and a shared commitment to transforming cancer care.
Position Responsibilities:
In the role as a Senior Principal Scientist within Discovery Biology, the ideal candidate will:
  • Lead matrixed TCE / cancer immunology discovery teams from target concept to IND and lead/mentor a biology team supporting in vitro experimentation.
  • Deploy existing and new techniques for function-based identification and selection of lead drug candidates
  • Leverage experience and insights to shape overall strategy and inform the next wave of therapeutic innovation.
  • Collaborate with functional area leads e.g. pharmacology, DMPK, bioinformatics to drive programs forward, including helping to define program priorities and risks.
  • Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams from external partners to help drive assets forward.
  • Present complex concepts to a range of audiences including governance and full team project meetings.
  • Utilize excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Communicate via email, meetings, and reports.

Experience
Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree
    • 10+ years of academic and / or industry experience

Or
  • Master's Degree
    • 8+ years of academic and / or industry experience

Or
  • Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree in the Life Sciences
    • 6+ years of academic and / or industry experience

  • 2+ years of leadership experience

Preferred Qualifications
  • Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree in the Life Sciences
    • 6+ years of industry experience
    • 2+ years of leadership experience
  • Experience developing novel immune therapeutic approaches for cancer including T cell redirected therapies.
  • Experience leading teams charged with profiling and developing complex biologics to drive enhanced immune function in the tumor microenvironment, with a strong preference for experience in discovery of T cell engagers.
  • Experience in both high throughput screening, and biologically complex, cell based assays to drive mechanistic insight and prioritization of therapeutic leads. Experience in interpreting in vivo functional assays.
  • Experience leading and collaborating across matrixed discovery programs from concept to IND including with immune cell engagers.
  • Experience contributing to an IND.
  • Strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  • Ability to efficiently manage and prioritize multiple projects, coordinating in-house research with collaborative work.
  • Ability to summarize and interpret complex scientific data in a clear, concise, and accurate manner.
  • Experience leading, coaching and mentoring a team of lab-based in vitro biologists.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to communicate well with peers, supervisors, and governance committees.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and understanding of complex scientific principles and demonstrated experience leveraging AI to refine strategic and tactical planning.

#LI-Onsite
If you come across a role that intrigues you but doesn't perfectly line up with your resume, we encourage you to apply anyway. You could be one step away from work that will transform your life and career.
Compensation Overview:
Seattle - WA: $174,020 - $210,872
The starting compensation range(s) for this role are listed above for a full-time employee (FTE) basis. Additional incentive cash and stock opportunities (based on eligibility) may be available. The starting pay rate takes into account characteristics of the job, such as required skills, where the job is performed, the employee's work schedule, job-related knowledge, and experience. Final, individual compensation will be decided based on demonstrated experience.
Eligibility for specific benefits listed on our careers site may vary based on the job and location. For more on benefits, please visit https://careers.bms.com/life-at-bms/.
Benefit offerings are subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans in effect at the time and may require enrollment. Our benefits include:
  • Health Coverage: Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision care.
  • Wellbeing Support: Programs such as BMS Well-Being Account, BMS Living Life Better, and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP).
  • Financial Well-being and Protection: 401(k) plan, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, accident insurance, supplemental health insurance, business travel protection, personal liability protection, identity theft benefit, legal support, and survivor support.

Work-life benefits include:
Paid Time Off
  • US Exempt Employees: flexible time off (unlimited, with manager approval, 11 paid national holidays (not applicable to employees in Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico or Rayzebio employees)
  • Phoenix, AZ, Puerto Rico and Rayzebio Exempt, Non-Exempt, Hourly Employees: 160 hours annual paid vacation for new hires with manager approval, 11 national holidays, and 3 optional holidays

Based on eligibility*, additional time off for employees may include unlimited paid sick time, up to 2 paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, and military needs and an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas and New Years Day.
All global employees full and part-time who are actively employed at and paid directly by BMS at the end of the calendar year are eligible to take advantage of the Global Shutdown.
*Eligibility Disclosure: The summer hours program is for United States (U.S.) office-based employees due to the unique nature of their work. Summer hours are generally not available for field sales and manufacturing operations and may also be limited for the capability centers. Employees in remote-by-design or lab-based roles may be eligible for summer hours, depending on the nature of their work, and should discuss eligibility with their manager. Employees covered under a collective bargaining agreement should consult that document to determine if they are eligible. Contractors, leased workers and other service providers are not eligible to participate in the program.
Uniquely Interesting Work, Life-changing Careers
With a single vision as inspiring as "Transforming patients' lives through science™ ", every BMS employee plays an integral role in work that goes far beyond ordinary. Each of us is empowered to apply our individual talents and unique perspectives in a supportive culture, promoting global participation in clinical trials, while our shared values of passion, innovation, urgency, accountability, inclusion and integrity bring out the highest potential of each of our colleagues.
On-site Protocol
BMS has an occupancy structure that determines where an employee is required to conduct their work. This structure includes site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design jobs. The occupancy type that you are assigned is determined by the nature and responsibilities of your role:
Site-essential roles require 100% of shifts onsite at your assigned facility. Site-by-design roles may be eligible for a hybrid work model with at least 50% onsite at your assigned facility. For these roles, onsite presence is considered an essential job function and is critical to collaboration, innovation, productivity, and a positive Company culture. For field-based and remote-by-design roles the ability to physically travel to visit customers, patients or business partners and to attend meetings on behalf of BMS as directed is an essential job function.
Supporting People with Disabilities
BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to adastaffingsupport@bms.com. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.
Candidate Rights
BMS will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area.
If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/
Data Protection
We will never request payments, financial information, or social security numbers during our application or recruitment process. Learn more about protecting yourself at https://careers.bms.com/fraud-protection.
Any data processed in connection with role applications will be treated in accordance with applicable data privacy policies and regulations.
If you believe that the job posting is missing information required by local law or incorrect in any way, please contact BMS at TAEnablement@bms.com. Please provide the Job Title and Requisition number so we can review. Communications related to your application should not be sent to this email and you will not receive a response. Inquiries related to the status of your application should be directed to Chat with Ripley.
R1603150 : Senior Principal Scientist, Cancer Immunology, Discovery Biology, Oncology Thematic Research Center

What Bristol Myers Squibb employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Bristol-Myers Squibb logo

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a world-renowned global Biopharmaceutical company headquartered in New York, NY, US. Established in 1887, the company has more than 130 years’ worth of history dedicated to discovering, developing, and delivering innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. The company operates in the healthcare industry and thrives on providing a range of pharmaceutical products and services for various medical fields, like oncology, cardiovascular diseases, and immunoscience. Notably, Bristol-Myers Squibb is known for its commitment to relentless research and innovative drug development, which has led to breakthroughs like Opdivo, one of the first immunotherapies.

Industry

Scientific research and development services and pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

New York, NY, US