Senior Scientist I, Peptide Discovery

Role Summary

Senior Scientist I with a strong background in immunology and/or peptide biology to join the Immuno-Pharmacology and Peptide Discovery team within Immunology Discovery. This lab-based role supports IND-enabling and early-stage discovery programs, as well as peptide platform research and innovation. The position involves hands-on experimentation with translational in vitro and ex vivo assays, PK/PD assessments, and the use of autoimmune disease efficacy models to evaluate peptide therapeutics. You will design and implement innovative experimental approaches to address key scientific questions in peptide immunology, investigate and optimize new methods and assays, and contribute insights on inflammatory pathways, immune cell trafficking, receptor modulation, tissue-specific target density, and receptor occupancy. Collaboration with cross-functional teams is essential to drive problem-solving across projects.

Responsibilities

• Experimental Design & Execution: Design, execute, and interpret immunological and pharmacological experiments to support IND-enabling and discovery-stage projects across peptide therapeutic programs, collaborating closely with team members.
• Biodistribution/RO & Dose Response Data Generation: Collect and analyze plasma and tissue drug exposure and receptor occupancy (RO) data to support dose-exposure-response predictions and inform oral dosing strategies for peptide candidates.
• In Vivo Immunology: Work side by side with vivarium personnel to perform adoptive transfer, rodent dosing (mice and rats), tissue harvesting and processing for downstream cellular and molecular analysis of immune responses and target engagement in autoimmune models.
• Immunological Assays: Execute a variety of immunological assays (e.g., flow cytometry, ELISPOT, co-cultures, cytokine profiling, whole blood assays) to characterize immune responses and evaluate the efficacy of peptide therapeutic candidates.
• Molecular Techniques: Conduct RNA isolation, qPCR/digital PCR, and related methods to assess gene expression, cytokine responses, and biomarker modulation.
• Tissue-Based Insights: Process lymphoid and barrier tissues (e.g., GI tract, skin, lymph nodes, spleen) for immune profiling and support receptor occupancy and BioD assessments at relevant disease sites.
• Model-Enabled Experimentation: Contribute experimental data to support BioD- and PK/PD-driven modeling efforts, including immune cell targeting, dose saturation effects, and target engagement across tissues.
• Translational Strategy Support: Help refine experimental designs to address translational knowledge gaps and provide data to support clinical prediction models and regulatory packages.
• Technical Mastery: Demonstrate mastery of in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo immunology techniques, applying these methods to peptide-focused studies to generate robust, reproducible data.
• Data Analysis (PK/PD): Interpret pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) data – including plasma and tissue exposure levels and receptor occupancy – to guide program decisions and optimize peptide therapeutic candidates.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate cross-functionally with multidisciplinary teams (e.g., DMPK, pharmacology, chemistry) to integrate experimental findings into broader program objectives and ensure alignment with overall peptide therapeutic development goals.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: BS, MS, or PhD with typically 10+ (BS), 8+ (MS), or 0-3 (PhD) years of relevant industry experience, preferably in biology or a related biological science.
• Experimental Skills: Proven ability to independently design, execute, and interpret critical experiments addressing complex scientific questions in immunology, pharmacology, or related disciplines.
• Technical Proficiency: Demonstrated hands-on expertise in immunological techniques such as ELISA, MSD, ELISPOT, flow cytometry, whole blood assays, qPCR/ddPCR, RNA extraction and analysis is preferred, and experience with in vivo rodent procedures (dosing, tissue harvesting, adoptive transfer) in rats and/or mice is required.
• PK/PD & BioD Experience: Familiarity with concepts of pharmacokinetics (plasma and tissue exposure), receptor occupancy, and dose-exposure-response relationships; demonstrated ability to collect, interpret, and communicate data relevant to these areas.
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning: Demonstrated ability to rapidly learn, master, and implement new experimental techniques and methodologies to advance scientific objectives.
• Organizational & Time Management: Strong organizational skills, including the ability to multitask effectively and consistently deliver high-quality results within established project timelines.
• Communication Skills: Excellent scientific writing skills for clear documentation of research findings; strong verbal communication skills for effective presentations and cross-functional collaboration.
• Collaborative Mindset: Proven ability to work collaboratively across teams, integrating experimental insights with cross-functional groups (e.g., DMPK, pharmacology, clinical sciences) to drive informed, data-driven decisions.