Principal Research Scientist I, In Vivo Antibody Discovery
AbbVie
August 18, 2026
On-site
Worcester, MA
$124,500 - $236,500 USD yearly
Clinical Research and Development
Key Responsibilities
- Lead antibody discovery programs from hit identification through screening, lead selection, and candidate nomination.
- Design and execute novel antigen engineering and immunization strategies to maximize immune response quality/diversity.
- Provide technical leadership across antibody discovery platforms (B cell-based discovery, immune repertoire screens, hybridoma).
- Lead identification of antibody and VHH modalities for diverse therapeutic programs and multispecifics.
- Evaluate and implement emerging antibody discovery technologies (AI-enabled workflows, machine learning, computational biology, laboratory automation) to expand capabilities and accelerate discovery.
- Direct hybrid discovery campaigns integrating internal work with external partners; identify and mitigate scientific/operational risks.
- Mentor scientists and provide technical guidance.
- Contribute to scientific reputation via publications, patents, presentations, and collaborations.
Qualifications
- BS/MS/PhD in immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, or related field; typically 14+ years (BS), 12+ (MS), or 6+ (PhD) industry experience.
- Deep hands-on expertise in antibody discovery (single B cell cloning, immune repertoire screening, hybridoma).
- Experience designing antigens and immunization strategies for challenging targets.
- Strong expertise in hit identification, screening cascade design, lead triage, and lead selection.
- Experience with VHH discovery (camelids and transgenics).
- Working knowledge of antibody engineering, developability assessment, and sequence liability evaluation.
- Ability to evaluate and implement new technologies/workflows.
- Team player with flexibility for changing timelines/priorities.
Desired
- Rabbit antibody discovery experience; NGS/bioinformatics pipeline knowledge; computational antibody discovery and AI/ML-enabled design; laboratory automation.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary discovery teams and strong project leadership.
Benefits
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) (eligible employees).
- Lead antibody discovery programs from hit identification through screening, lead selection, and candidate nomination.
- Design and execute novel antigen engineering and immunization strategies to maximize immune response quality/diversity.
- Provide technical leadership across antibody discovery platforms (B cell-based discovery, immune repertoire screens, hybridoma).
- Lead identification of antibody and VHH modalities for diverse therapeutic programs and multispecifics.
- Evaluate and implement emerging antibody discovery technologies (AI-enabled workflows, machine learning, computational biology, laboratory automation) to expand capabilities and accelerate discovery.
- Direct hybrid discovery campaigns integrating internal work with external partners; identify and mitigate scientific/operational risks.
- Mentor scientists and provide technical guidance.
- Contribute to scientific reputation via publications, patents, presentations, and collaborations.
Qualifications
- BS/MS/PhD in immunology, biochemistry, molecular biology, bioinformatics, or related field; typically 14+ years (BS), 12+ (MS), or 6+ (PhD) industry experience.
- Deep hands-on expertise in antibody discovery (single B cell cloning, immune repertoire screening, hybridoma).
- Experience designing antigens and immunization strategies for challenging targets.
- Strong expertise in hit identification, screening cascade design, lead triage, and lead selection.
- Experience with VHH discovery (camelids and transgenics).
- Working knowledge of antibody engineering, developability assessment, and sequence liability evaluation.
- Ability to evaluate and implement new technologies/workflows.
- Team player with flexibility for changing timelines/priorities.
Desired
- Rabbit antibody discovery experience; NGS/bioinformatics pipeline knowledge; computational antibody discovery and AI/ML-enabled design; laboratory automation.
- Ability to lead multidisciplinary discovery teams and strong project leadership.
Benefits
- Paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance, and 401(k) (eligible employees).