Mechanistic Biologist

Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to rejuvenate cell and tissue function with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan.

We’re building a mission-driven team of accomplished and kind individuals who embrace our startup culture of rapid iteration, transparency, and versatility.

Our autophagy program is advancing rapidly and leading the charge in translating our science into a first-in-human clinical trial, marking a major step toward delivering transformative therapies rooted in the biology of aging.

We’re hiring a new team member to help us build and refine the tools we need to evaluate our next-generation autophagy-enhancing compounds. This role is at the heart of our discovery-to-clinic transition—translating biological insight into robust, reproducible assays that drive compound selection and development.

The role:

You’ll be responsible for designing, optimizing, and executing cell-based assays to measure compound activity, mechanism of action (MOA), and potency. Your work will ensure our assays are aligned with the program’s evolving needs from early discovery through IND and into the clinic. You’ll report to the autophagy program lead and will be highly cross-functional, working closely with our computational and translational biologists, as well as external CROs.

About you:

You share our sense of urgency and excitement, and thrive in fast-paced, interdisciplinary environments. You work well independently but will also enjoy being part of a highly-collaborative, multi-disciplinary team. You are excited to work on, and solve, hard problems and ultimately help extend healthy human lifespan!

In this role you will:

• Develop and optimize cellular and biochemical assays to measure autophagic flux, lysosomal function, and aggregate clearance, with the ability to integrate omics approaches such as proteomics and transcriptomics for mechanistic insight.
• Develop and optimize robust, quantitative assay systems for Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) and compound screening.
• Drive target validation and mechanism-of-action studies through customized assay systems.
• Generate mechanistic, target engagement, and omics data to inform regulatory filings and support clinical development activities.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to ensure assay relevance, reproducibility, and translational value.
• Maintain high standards of data integrity, documentation, and scientific communication.
  
  

You will thrive in this role if you:

• Have 3–7 years of post-PhD or equivalent experience in assay development, cell biology, or neurodegeneration in a biotech or academic setting.
• Are experienced in developing cell-based assays to measure autophagy, lysosomal function, protein degradation, or aggregate clearance.
• Have exposure to early translational research, including biomarker development or patient-derived systems, or omics technologies (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics).
• Are fluent in techniques such as high-content imaging, flow cytometry, biochemical reporter assays, or live-cell readouts, or chemoproteomics approaches for target engagement and pathway analysis.
• Excel at troubleshooting, iteration, and building systems that scale.
• Are an excellent communicator who thrives in highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environments.
• Are energized by fast-paced, mission-driven work and take pride in building systems that others can rely on.
  
  

It’s a bonus if you:

• Have worked with neurodegenerative disease models, iPSC-derived neurons, or lysosomal storage diseases.
• Have experience supporting IND-enabling studies or clinical candidate selection.
• Are familiar with chemical biology or SAR-guided screening.
• Have exposure to omics platforms like Olink, SomaLogic, or mass spectrometry and experience applying omics to neurodegenerative disease models.
  
  

$130,000 - $160,000 a year

Total compensation also includes generous equity and benefits including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
• 401(k) plan with 4% matching
• Flexible time off and 10 company holidays per year
• Paid parental leave
• Annual learning & development stipend
• Daily Retro-sponsored lunch and snacks
  
  

We take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, open communication, and authenticity. We believe that great results are best delivered by a highly creative team working in concert. We are an equal opportunity employer; we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are diverse in background and singular in mission.