CMC Project Lead (Next Generation Biologics and ADCs), London

Isomorphic Labs is applying frontier AI to help unlock deeper scientific insights, faster breakthroughs, and life-changing medicines with an ambition to solve all disease. The future is coming, enabled and enriched by the incredible power of machine learning, where diseases are curtailed or cured starting with better and faster drug discovery. Join an interdisciplinary team driving groundbreaking innovation and play a meaningful role in contributing towards achieving our ambitious goals, while being part of an inspiring and collaborative culture.

About Iso

Isomorphic Labs (IsoLabs) was launched in 2021 to advance human health by building on and beyond the Nobel-winning AlphaFold system. Our interdisciplinary team of drug discovery experts and machine learning specialists has built powerful new predictive and generative AI models that accelerate scientific discovery at digital speed. Our name reflects the belief that there is an underlying symmetry between biology and information science. By harnessing AI’s capabilities, we can model complex biological phenomena to help design novel molecules, anticipate how drugs will perform, and develop innovative medicines to treat and cure some of the world’s most devastating diseases.

Your impact

We are seeking a highly technical and collaborative Senior Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls Project Lead to drive the development and CMC strategy for our next-generation biologics and Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC) pipeline. This high-impact position is at the nexus of protein design and engineering, sophisticated linker-payload chemistry, and complex regulatory sciences. The role requires a candidate who can navigate the unique challenges of multi-part drug substances and harmonise them into a stable, scalable therapeutic.

As the CMC Lead, you will serve as the technical expert for our diverse portfolio of computationally designed therapeutic candidates. This role is responsible for building the bridge between Isomorphic’s AI-driven discovery engine and the physical manufacturing of clinic-ready drugs. You will design the CMC strategy for a variety of complex biologics and multi-specifics, overseeing the end-to-end technical development from cell line optimisation and sophisticated upstream/downstream processing to the precision chemistry required for advanced conjugation and assembly.

What you will do

• Design and oversee end-to-end manufacturing frameworks for a diverse portfolio of novel scaffolds and functionalised antibodies, including orchestrating cell line development, advanced upstream/downstream biologics processing, and precision molecular assembly or conjugation steps.
• Lead the optimisation of site-specific modification and coupling chemistries, driving strategies to achieve precise stoichiometry and structural homogeneity while minimising product-related impurities and 'off-target' modifications.
• Lead the selection and technical oversight of global Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations, managing complex tech transfers, auditing Master Batch Records, and troubleshooting manufacturing deviations.
• Define the Analytical Target Profile for designed complex molecules, ensuring structural integrity, folding, and stability under physiological and accelerated stress conditions.
• Act as the primary author for CMC sections of global regulatory filings, developing and defending the control strategy for both the primary biologic and any high-potency or chemically synthesized components.

Skills and qualifications

Essential:

• PhD or MSc in Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or a related biopharmaceutical field.
• 8+ years (or 5+ for high-growth) of professional experience in biologics CMC, with a proven track record of moving complex modalities from late-stage discovery into clinical manufacturing.
• Experience with a diverse range of next-gen scaffolds, such as bispecific antibodies, nanobodies (VHH), or cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic/novel payload delivery systems.
• Direct, hands-on experience in the development, scale-up, or manufacturing of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) or other chemically modified biologics.
• Deep knowledge of analytical techniques required for multi-component molecules, including Drug-to-Antibody Ratio (DAR) determination and advanced peptide mapping/MS-based characterization.
• Strong practical knowledge of cGMP and global regulatory guidelines (FDA/EMA), specifically as they apply to combination products and biotechnological intermediates.

Nice to have:

• Experience of working with ML models for biologics design.
• Experience of developing or using AI tools (LLM) to accelerate CMC processes including reporting.

Culture and values

We are guided by our shared values. It's not about finding people who think and act in the same way. These values help to guide our work and will continue to strengthen it.

• Thoughtful: Curiosity, creativity, and care in rigorous and future-making science.
• Brave: Fearlessness, initiative, and integrity in facing challenges.
• Determined: Confidence in our hypothesis and urgency to deliver on it.
• Together: Connection, collaboration across fields, and catalytic relationships.

Creating an extraordinary company

We believe that to be successful we need a team with a range of skills and talents. We're building an environment where collaboration is fundamental, learning is shared, and every employee feels supported and able to thrive. We value unique experiences, knowledge, backgrounds, and perspectives, and harness these qualities to create extraordinary impact. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis protected by applicable law.

Hybrid working

It’s hugely important for us to share knowledge and build strong relationships with each other, and we find it easier to do this if we spend time together in person. This is why we follow a hybrid model, requiring you to come into the office 3 days a week (currently Tuesday, Wednesday, and one other day depending on your team). If you have additional needs that would prevent you from following this hybrid approach, we’d be happy to discuss these if you’re selected for an initial screening call.