Senior Protein Scientist / Antibody Engineer

LabGenius Therapeutics is a machine‑learning‑driven protein engineering company headquartered in London. Our mission is to discover the next generation of therapeutic antibodies by combining human and machine intelligence through our proprietary EVA platform. The role is a full‑time laboratory‑based position in the Antibody Engineering team, focused on developing and owning a world‑class antibody binding platform to support the discovery and optimisation of therapeutic candidates.

What you’ll do in this role:

• Design, implement, and own our internal antibody binding platform, selecting instrumentation such as Biacore or Octet to scale characterization capabilities.
• Lead high‑resolution kinetic screening campaigns to determine kon, koff, and KD for large panels of antibody candidates.
• Execute complex epitope binning and mapping studies to support target coverage and intellectual property filings.
• Partner with the Lab Automation team to integrate liquid handling with BLI workflows, progressing toward fully autonomous binding assays.
• Collaborate with the Data Science team to translate raw sensorgrams into clean datasets for ML/AI predictive models.
• Design and implement automated biophysical screening assays (e.g., high‑throughput protein stability, solubility, and self‑association) using 96‑ and 384‑well formats.
• Analyse data from high‑throughput screening and work with data science to feed developability data into predictive models.
• QC analyse, interpret and troubleshoot developability experiments in collaboration with other R&D teams.
• Conduct self‑directed research, troubleshoot complex binding profiles and provide actionable insights to the engineering team.
• Maintain excellent experimental and data records for cross‑functional teamwork and project learnings.
• Organise and manage time effectively, balancing competing priorities and delivering on timelines.

What we’re looking for:

• PhD in protein/antibody engineering, protein biochemistry, or an MSc with 3–5 years of industrial experience in protein characterisation; biotech or pharma experience is a distinct advantage.
• Deep, hands‑on mastery of SPR (Biacore/Sierra) or BLI (Octet/Pioneer) with expert knowledge of kinetic assay design, sensor‑chip selection, immobilisation strategies, and regeneration optimisation.
• Proven track record of managing large‑scale screening campaigns (hundreds of samples per week) while maintaining data integrity.
• Proficiency in data analysis software (Insight Evaluation, Scrubber) and sophisticated understanding of 1:1 binding models versus complex interactions.
• Experience in thermostability assays (DSF), ELISA‑based techniques, dynamic light scattering, and analytical UPLC (SE‑HPLC, HIC‑HPLC).
• Deep understanding of antibody structure‑function relationships and PTM liabilities.
• Ability to generate and implement new ideas for lab infrastructure and automated workflows.
• Comfortable acquiring unfamiliar scientific skills and knowledge.
• Strong communication skills to articulate complex kinetic data to non‑experts, including computational biologists and stakeholders.
• Excellent organisational and time‑management skills with demonstrated ability to prioritise and deliver commitments.
• Self‑motivated with a strong desire to make an impact and a positive attitude.
• Experience working in a business context as part of a multidisciplinary team.

Nice to have:

• Experience with high‑throughput array‑based SPR (e.g., Carterra LSA) or BLI (Octet RH96).
• Experience characterising non‑traditional modalities such as bispecifics, VHH, or scaffold proteins, and studying complex binding interactions beyond the 1:1 model.
• Familiarity with complex LIMS systems for data analysis and data integrity.
• Familiarity with open‑source software and bioinformatics tools to support protein production analysis.

Benefits:

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

Diversity & Inclusion:

We believe that diversity makes for innovative, exceptional teams. LabGenius is an equal opportunity employer and does 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 do not 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.