At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead antibody discovery programs and design next-gen therapeutics.
- Company: Dynamic biotech firm focused on innovative biologics solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth, and collaborative work environment.
- Other info: Mentorship opportunities and collaboration with top scientists in the field.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in advancing life-saving therapies with cutting-edge science.
- Qualifications: PhD in relevant field and significant industry experience required.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced biologics scientist to play a key role in designing and advancing next-generation antibody therapeutics. You will bring extensive hands-on expertise in antibody engineering, affinity maturation, and developability assessment while partnering closely with computational biology and machine learning teams to translate biological insights into clinic-ready molecules. The ideal candidate will have personally designed and optimized therapeutic antibodies and contributed to biologics programs from target validation through candidate selection and IND-enabling activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead biologics discovery programs from target validation through lead optimization and candidate selection.
- Design, engineer, and optimize antibody molecules using experimental data to guide progression decisions.
- Drive modality selection across antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, and fragments.
- Design and execute discovery strategies aligned to Target Product Profiles (TPPs).
- Apply expertise in:
- Antibody discovery and engineering
- Affinity maturation and CDR engineering
- Developability assessment
- Mechanistic characterization and potency optimization
- Design and interpret cell-based functional assays and biophysical characterization studies, including:
- SPR/Biacore
- BLI/Octet
- Binding, potency, and selectivity assays
- Collaborate closely with Computational Biology, Machine Learning, Translational Science, DMPK, Toxicology, and CMC teams.
- Partner with CROs and external collaborators, overseeing study design, data interpretation, and program progression.
- Contribute to scientific strategy and act as a key technical leader within the biologics group.
- Mentor junior scientists and contribute to publications and scientific visibility.
Required Experience
- PhD in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Protein Engineering, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, or a related discipline.
- Significant industry experience in biotech or pharmaceutical biologics drug discovery.
- Proven track record progressing antibody programs through:
- Target validation
- Hit identification
- Lead optimization
- Candidate selection
- IND-enabling studies
- Deep expertise in:
- Therapeutic antibody design and engineering
- Affinity maturation and CDR optimization
- Developability assessment
- Biologics discovery cascades
- Molecule progression decision-making
- Hands-on experience with:
- Cell-based functional assays
- SPR/Biacore
- BLI/Octet
- In vitro pharmacology
- CRO management
- Strong understanding of biologics modalities, including antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, and fragments.
- Experience working in highly cross-functional, matrixed environments.
Interested in learning more? Please contact HLX Life Sciences for a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity.
Senior Scientist – Antibody Discovery employer: Hlx Life Sciences
Hlx Life Sciences is an exceptional employer located in the vibrant city of Cambridge, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. Employees benefit from comprehensive professional development opportunities, competitive compensation, and a commitment to work-life balance, making it an ideal environment for those passionate about advancing drug design and discovery. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to impactful scientific breakthroughs.
