Senior Scientist, Antibody Discovery & Engineering

Role Summary

As a research scientist, you will be part of Pfizer's Worldwide Research and Development team that employs a multidisciplinary approach to identify cancer targets and develop next generation Oncology therapeutics and therapeutic combinations. In this role, you will contribute to the development of novel biotherapeutics as a molecular biology subject matter expert. You will be responsible for extensive molecular biology design, experimentation, and analysis, including construct design, vector cloning, and NGS library preparation. You will also contribute to molecular analyses of cancer targets, cell line engineering, antibody sequencing, identification of sequence liabilities, and antibody engineering.

Responsibilities

• Provide molecular biology and engineering support for multiple Oncology Research projects
• Generate, analyze, and engineer antibody sequences to deliver an optimized therapeutic lead
• Contribute to achievement of goals and influence at the project team level
• Evaluate data and provide clear reports that can be shared and transferred to and from cross-functional teams
• Pay attention to detail, strictly adhere to safety protocols, and use knowledge of basic laboratory procedures to advance projects under rapidly shifting priorities and timelines

Qualifications

• Required: Ph.D. in Molecular Biology or related discipline or Bachelor‚Äôs degree + 9 years research experience or Master‚Äôs degree + 7 years research experience
• Required: Experience working with antibody sequences, including diversity analysis, liability identification, and CDR annotation
• Required: Molecular biology skills, including RNA/DNA extractions, primer design, PCR, plasmid cloning, and NGS library prep
• Required: Familiarity with sequence analysis software, such as Snapgene and/or Geneious Prime
• Required: Understanding of protein structure and biology; working knowledge of online bioinformatics tools to analyze gene, mRNA and protein sequences
• Required: Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, adapting to project needs
• Required: Ability to organize and prioritize work to meet timelines and deliverables
• Required: Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to accurately document experiment data and present results
• Preferred: Proficiency in Oxford Nanopore sequencing and data analysis
• Preferred: Experience coding in Python, R, or other programming language
• Preferred: Understanding of antibody biology and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs)
• Preferred: Experience with cell engineering technologies, such as transfection, nucleofection, lentiviral transduction, and CRISPR
• Preferred: Proficiency in culturing multiple cell lines under BSL2 conditions
• Preferred: Exposure to working in the biopharmaceutical industry
• Preferred: Passion for identifying and implementing new technologies that improve workflow efficiency and deliverable quality

Skills

• Antibody sequencing and engineering
• NGS library preparation
• Cell line engineering
• Sequence analysis (e.g., Snapgene, Geneious Prime)
• Bioinformatics tools for gene/mRNA/protein analysis
• Molecular biology techniques (RNA/DNA extraction, PCR, cloning)
• Data interpretation and cross-functional collaboration
• Scientific communication and data documentation

Education

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology or related discipline or equivalent combination of education and experience

Additional Requirements

• Lifting, sitting, standing, walking, bending; ability to perform mathematical calculations and complex data analysis
• Must be able to wear specialized protective clothing and PPE