Principal Scientist, Protein Sciences

Role Summary

Principal Scientist, Protein Sciences — lead protein sciences group and drive cutting-edge therapeutic antibody development, with a focus on bispecific formats. Located in San Diego, CA.

Responsibilities

• Drive the design, engineering, and optimization of therapeutic antibodies, with a strong emphasis on bispecific formats and developability considerations.
• Perform comprehensive antibody characterization using methods such as ELISA, SPR, HPLC, BLI, and related assays.
• Oversee mammalian expression systems and provide leadership in protein purification and manufacturability testing.
• Lead, mentor, train, and manage members of the Protein Sciences group, including Scientists and Research Associates.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless progression of programs from platform discovery through in vivo proof-of-concept studies and into development.
• Communicate research findings effectively to internal stakeholders, senior leadership, external partners, and the broader scientific community as needed.
• Contribute to regulatory documentation, support development, and ensure adherence to industry standards and best practices.
• Drive innovation and intellectual property generation, including publications and patents where appropriate.
• Stay current with scientific literature and emerging technologies to continuously strengthen the company’s protein sciences capabilities.

Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience with antibody discovery, engineering, and development, including demonstrated leadership of antibody programs in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting.
• Proven expertise with multiple bispecific antibody formats, with a strong track record of assessing and guiding developability.
• Deep technical experience in mammalian protein expression, purification, and analytical characterization using standard assays (e.g., ELISA, SPR, HPLC, BLI).
• Experience with antibody fusions, Fc-fusions, and conjugation to antibodies is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to integrate deep knowledge in at least one disease area to shape and advance therapeutic programs.
• Industry experiences advancing biologic therapeutics from discovery through development, with contributions to clinical candidates.
• Successful track record of leading and mentoring scientific teams, as well as managing external collaborations with CROs or academic partners.
• Evidence of innovation and scientific leadership, including patents, publications, or conference presentations.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, or related field and 10+ years of experience within the biotech/pharmaceutical industry; or,
• Master’s degree in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, or related field and 8+ years of experience within the biotech/pharmaceutical industry; or,
• PhD degree in Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, or related field and 5+ years of experience within the biotech/pharmaceutical industry.

Additional Requirements

• Characteristics of Successful Applicant: Critical Thinking and Scientific Expertise; Cross-Functional Collaboration; Communication Skills; Analytical and Problem-Solving Abilities; Organizational and Time Management.