Research Associate/Associate Scientist, Antibody Characterization (12 month FTC)

At LabGenius Therapeutics, our mission is to discover the next generation of therapeutic antibodies by combining human and machine intelligence. We’ve pioneered the development of EVA™, a state-of-the-art automated platform, enabling the closed-loop discovery of high-performing, non-intuitive antibody designs using proprietary, ML-grade datasets. For our wholly-owned therapeutic pipeline, we’re using our closed-loop discovery engine to establish a pipeline of highly selective T-cell engagers and ADCs for the treatment of solid tumours.

LabGenius has raised >£55M and is backed by top-tier investors, including M Ventures, Octopus Ventures, LG Corp, Atomico, Kindred Capital, Lux Capital and Obvious Ventures. The company is headquartered in London (UK) where we’ve established a cutting-edge antibody engineering facility, staffed by a multidisciplinary team of more than 50 scientists and engineers.

We are seeking a detail-oriented and motivated Research Assistant / Associate Scientist to join our Antibody Developability team. This role is central to our pipeline, focusing on the early identification of lead candidates with superior biophysical properties. You will be responsible for executing a suite of high-throughput assays to evaluate the "developability" of therapeutic antibodies, ensuring that only the most stable and manufacturable molecules move forward.

Your role at LabGenius will be varied, with clear communication being critical to your day-to-day interactions with the team. Being able to integrate your workflow with other teams, along with the ability to share findings in an articulate manner, will help you to achieve success within this position. This position is a full time laboratory-based role on a 12 month fixed-term contract basis.

What you’ll do in this role:

• Perform routine developability assessments, including SE-HPLC (purity/aggregation), DSF (thermal stability), and solubility assays.
• Execute specialized assays to evaluate non‑specific binding and "stickiness", such as AC‑SINS (Affinity‑Capture Self‑Interaction Nanoparticle Spectroscopy) and polyreactivity ELISA/flow‑based assays.
• Leverage liquid handling automation (e.g., Cybio felix, Beckman) to manage large‑scale screening campaigns of 1000s of samples.
• Process complex datasets, ensuring high data integrity and timely reporting of results to the protein engineering and discovery teams.
• Maintain analytical instrumentation, prepare buffers, and contribute to the optimization of existing workflows to increase throughput and efficiency.

What we’re looking for:

• B.S. or M.S. in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, or a related scientific discipline.
• Minimum of 1 year laboratory experience, preferably in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting.
• Demonstrable hands‑on laboratory experience relevant to the job role description.
• Hands‑on experience with HPLC/UPLC systems (Empower or OpenLab software knowledge is a plus).
• Familiarity with protein stability techniques (DSF, DLS).
• Understanding of antibody structure and common liabilities (aggregation, charge heterogeneity, non‑specific binding).
• Previous experience with automated liquid handlers is highly desirable.
• A proactive problem‑solver with excellent organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple plates/projects simultaneously.
• A meticulous eye for detail and diligence.
• You’ll thrive in a fast‑paced environment with the ability and flexibility to support multiple projects simultaneously.
• You’ll have the hunger to learn and collaborate with other teams within the company and develop in your role.

What you’ll receive from us:

• Discretionary performance‑linked annual bonus.
• A generous stock option plan.
• 3x Salary Life Assurance.
• Income Protection.
• Health Shield Cash Back Plan on day‑to‑day health expenses.
• 5% pension, with an additional top up on tax savings from us.
• Free Will‑writing Service.
• Private Medical Insurance, including dental and optical.
• Discounted gym membership through either AXA or HealthShield.
• 24/7 access to GP Services.
• Access to the Cycle to Work scheme.
• 25 days annual leave (plus the bank holidays).
• 1 day paid for moving home.
• Paid sick leave.
• Compassionate and emergency leave.
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to coaching and CBT sessions.
• Weekly team lunches through Feedr.
• A programme of social events both company‑wide and within your own teams.

We believe that diversity makes for innovative, exceptional teams. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on gender, race, colour, religion or belief, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, or any other protected class. If you don't feel like you meet every single requirement of this role, we still want to hear from you! We encourage you to apply, have a discussion with us about the role or others that we may have at LabGenius either now or in the future, together we can build more inclusive workplaces.