Scientist, Pre-Clinical Biomarkers and Translational Research

Lexington, Massachusetts, United States
At Keros, our mission is to deliver significant clinical benefit to a wide range of patients with disorders that are linked to dysfunctional signaling of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) family of proteins. With a focus on developing differentiated product candidates that are designed to alter TGF-β signaling, we aim to target the pathways critical for the growth, repair and maintenance of blood cells and a number of tissues, including bone, skeletal muscle, adipose and heart tissue. We believe our product candidates have the potential to unlock the full therapeutic benefits of modulating the TGF-β superfamily and provide disease-modifying benefit to patients.

Job Summary In the role of Scientist, Preclinical Biomarkers and Translational Research, you will join the Bioanalytical Sciences group to advance novel biologic programs from pre-clinical to clinical development. You will partner closely with Biology, Toxicology, and other cross-functional teams to translate biological questions into biomarker strategies; design and execute hypothesis-driven studies; develop fit-for-purpose assays; analyze preclinical samples; and interpret results in the context of TGF-beta superfamily biology, mechanism of action, PK/PD, efficacy, and safety. This is a highly hands-on research position requiring strong scientific judgement, rigorous experimental design, excellent bench and in vivo skills, and clear communication of actionable conclusions.

Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with Biology, Toxicology and other cross-functional teams to identify critical biological questions and establish biomarker strategies for target engagement, pharmacodynamic activity, efficacy, disease biology, and potential safety findings.

• Independently generate scientific hypotheses and design, execute, and interpret in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies that clarify mechanism of action and support program decisions.

• Develop, optimize, qualify, and troubleshoot fit-for-purpose biomarker assays using relevant platforms such as ELISA/MSD, qPCR, Western blotting, immunoprecipitation, multicolor flow cytometry, and cell-based assays.

• Perform hands-on analysis of serum, plasma, tissue, and cellular samples from preclinical studies, including tissue processing, tissue dissociation, primary cell isolation, and ex vivo functional analyses.

• Evaluate commercial kits, antibodies, reagents, and assay platforms; develop custom methods when needed; and ensure assay performance, reproducibility, data integrity, and appropriate documentation.

• Present study designs, data, interpretations, limitations, and recommendations at project team meetings and contribute to study reports, technical documents, publications, and patent-related activities.

• Support assay transfer and external CRO activities under the guidance of the Director of Bioanalysis, as needed.

Core Competencies (Required Skills)

• Strong research ability, including hypothesis generation, experimental design, assay troubleshooting, and critical data interpretation

• Good understanding of TGF-β superfamily biology, related signaling pathways, and their roles in disease mechanisms.

• Hands-on experience within vivo models, tissue collection and processing, and preclinical sample analysis.

• Technical expertise in relevant methods such as ELISA, MSD, qPCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and mammalian cell culture, and experience developing and optimizing biomarker assays.

• Strong quantitative analysis and data visualization skills using GraphPad Prism, FlowJo, or comparable software, with careful attention to reproducibility and data integrity.

• Strong collaboration, scientific communication, documentation, and data-presentation skills.

Preferred Skills

• Experience supporting biologic drug-discovery programs.

• Experience applying TGF-beta pathway biology to preclinical, target validation, mechanism-of-action, or biomarker studies.

• Experience with MSD, Luminex, multiplex assays, flow cytometry.

• Experience with primary cells, ex vivo assays, gene perturbation, or novel disease-model development.

Education Requirements

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, pharmacology, biochemistry, biotechnology, or a closely related discipline, with at least 2 years of relevant industry and/or postdoctoral research experience, or a Master’s degree with at least 10 years of relevant industry experience.

This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, and other relevant factors.
Potential base pay range

$133,000 - $157,000 USD

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mission Statement: Keros is an inclusive company. We believe that diversity drives innovation. We continue to build an inclusive culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our employees. As such, Keros takes a holistic approach in mentoring, coaching, and developing all of our Keros team members.

Keros Therapeutics is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex including sexual orientation and gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.
As set forth in Keros Therapeutics’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1

OMB Control Number 1250-0005

Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp .

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)

• Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS

• Blind or low vision

• Cancer (past or present)

• Cardiovascular or heart disease

• Celiac disease

• Cerebral palsy

• Deaf or serious difficulty hearing

• Diabetes

• Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders

• Epilepsy or other seizure disorder

• Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome

• Intellectual or developmental disability

• Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD

• Missing limbs or partially missing limbs

• Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports

• Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)

• Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities

• Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)

• Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema

• Short stature (dwarfism)

• Traumatic brain injury

Disability Status Select...
PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

We are an equal opportunity employer. Applicants and employees are considered for positions and are evaluated without regard to mental or physical disability, race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, genetic information, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, marital status or any other protected Federal, State/Province or Local status unrelated to the performance of the work involved.

Job Applicants Privacy Notice.