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Surrozen Inc.

Scientist-Principal Scientist

Surrozen Inc., San Francisco, California, United States, 94199

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Surrozen

is a biotechnology company pioneering targeted therapeutics that selectively activate the Wnt Pathway for tissue repair and regeneration. Surrozen focuses its Wnt biology expertise and Wnt signal modulation antibody technologies on ophthalmology programs, developing new treatment options for retinopathies. The company recently completed a private placement of two tranches totaling up to $175 million in gross proceeds to fund multiple ophthalmology programs through initial Phase 1 safety, tolerability and efficacy studies. Surrozen expects to file an IND in 2026.

Modulation of Wnt signaling has the potential to be relevant in a broad range of highly prevalent eye diseases, including wet and dry Age‑Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), diabetic retinopathy, Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), non‑infectious uveitis, and certain rare eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt’s, and familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR). The two lead candidates for retinopathies are SZN‑8141 (Fzd4/VEGF) and SZN‑8143 (Fzd4/VEGF/IL‑6).

Job Overview We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist for a full‑time position to support drug development programs in the ophthalmology space. The candidate will establish in‑vitro model systems and cell‑based assays for evaluating antibody drug efficacy and mode of action, design and execute in‑vivo MOA studies in animal eye disease models, and contribute to Surrozen’s preclinical and clinical programs for severe eye diseases.

Pay Range $110,435 – $198,420

Primary Duties

Design and execute in‑vitro and in‑vivo experiments to explore disease mechanisms and test new molecules.

Discover and validate targets for drug intervention, validating their role in disease processes.

Develop and optimize high‑throughput screening assays to test and rank large drug candidate pools.

Analyze and interpret experimental data, drawing conclusions and presenting findings to guide development decisions.

Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including protein biochemists, pharmacologists, and data scientists.

Manage external CRO partnerships for specialized tasks.

Engage with key opinion leaders and maintain scientific advisory networks.

Contribute to scientific strategy and stay current with literature.

Publish data and discoveries as conference abstracts, patents, and peer‑reviewed papers.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, or related fields.

Minimum 2+ years of eye research experience with a track record of peer‑reviewed publications.

Strong wet‑lab molecular and cell biology techniques, e.g., cloning, qPCR, siRNA, CRISPR‑Cas9, IF/IHC, ISH/FISH, FACS, ELISA, Western blotting, protein IP, mammalian cell/organoid culture, reporter assays, animal tissue manipulation, and primary cell isolation.

Experience with fluorescence confocal microscopy and imaging analysis.

Familiarity with in‑vitro, ex‑ vivo, and animal retinal disease models.

Experience with high‑throughput sequencing, single‑cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, R programming, and data analysis is a plus.

Excellent organizational and communication skills.

Ability to work in a fast‑paced environment and contribute to multiple projects.

Experience coaching junior scientists or students.

Strong interpersonal skills and a team‑player mindset committed to success.

Attention to detail and self‑motivation.

Benefits

Dynamic, collaborative, and passionate team environment.

Competitive benefits, including employer contributions.

Stock options.

Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays.

Shuttle service to/from Caltrain, BART, and SSF ferry.

State‑of‑the‑art research facility with on‑site gym amenities.

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