Scientific Director, Biologics, Discovery and Development in Stevenage

Location: Stevenage, with travel to London offices

Job Type: Permanent

Are you passionate about making life science life changing and delivering impact for patients? We want to hear from you.

About the role

LifeArc has a strong track record in antibody therapeutics and has contributed to the development of five approved drugs, including the world’s top-selling oncology drug, pembrolizumab. The Scientific Director of Biologics Discovery and Development is a key scientific leadership position at LifeArc, responsible for a team focussed on human antibody discovery using a transgenic mouse platform, cutting‑edge B‑cell selection technology, and antibody humanisation. The Biologics Discovery and Development group leads internal drug discovery projects in rare diseases, childhood cancers, and infectious diseases, as well as supporting a range of early‑stage commercial collaborations with biotech companies and academic groups. The group comprises ~30 experienced scientists with diverse skill sets who support all stages of the antibody discovery process, from antigen design and expression, immunisation and screening, protein production, biophysical assessment, and detailed antibody characterisation. The team plays a key role in LifeArc’s wider therapeutic discovery capabilities alongside the Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and Chemical Biology teams. The role is based at our state‑of‑the‑art, superbly equipped laboratories at the Stevenage Biomedical Catalyst campus, with a small team located at the Francis Crick Institute in London.

About you

As an experienced and recognised leader in antibody discovery and engineering, you will have a strong track record delivering molecules that have entered further development. You will have a deep understanding of the required processes, technologies and workstreams and experience in a similar role in a biotech or pharma environment, with extensive line management and leadership experience. You will work closely with other LifeArc Functions, including Data Sciences, Clinical Development, and Business Development.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

• Identifying and championing new project ideas aligned with LifeArc’s priority diseases.
• Identifying and leading external collaborations.
• Recommending and implementing technology improvements to the biologics platform capabilities.

Specific role responsibilities:

• Reporting to the Senior Director, Therapeutic Platforms, leading and line managing the Biologics Discovery and Development Group, ensuring delivery of projects to time and budget.
• Generating antibody hit panels and lead molecules for further progression to well‑characterised and fit‑for‑development candidate molecules for our in‑house portfolio or to external partners as part of commercial collaborations.
• Developing the team and individuals within the group, to ensure scientific and operational excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensuring high‑quality data delivery, and monitor and ensure data integrity.
• Identifying opportunities for LifeArc to secure intellectual property from its biologics discovery projects.
• Working closely with the Chief Scientific Officer; Senior Director, Therapeutic Platforms; Senior Director Platform & Project Strategy and other Scientific Directors to manage budgets, objectives, and project plans.
• Working with external collaborators to develop strategies and work plans and ensure that collaborative projects are delivered to high scientific standards.
• Presenting projects to the LifeArc governance committee, collaborating closely with project leaders, and project managers.
• Working with other Scientific Directors and groups to ensure synergies are exploited and cross‑department and cross‑modality support is used wherever possible.
• Developing and presenting new project concepts and therapeutic ideas and participate in the assessment of new project opportunities.
• Making recommendations for enhancements to the antibody platform that will improve and diversify our therapeutic antibody projects.
• Enhancing the external scientific profile of LifeArc by publishing and presenting our research and maintaining a broad network in the antibody discovery and engineering community.

Essential education, experience and skills required:

• PhD in a relevant subject area, ideally with post‑doctoral research experience, and a strong publication and patent record in antibody drug discovery.
• Expert in antibody discovery and engineering and extensive knowledge of the wider biologics arena and experience in applying emerging technologies.
• Proven leader of successful multi‑functional teams focussing on biologics discovery with experience leading and developing teams of at least 20 scientists, including budgetary and resource management.
• Direct experience with in‑vivo antibody discovery platforms, B‑cell selection and screening and a demonstrated track record of selecting, assessing and progressing suitable molecules.
• Attention to detail and the ability to prioritise and address work and resource across different projects.
• Self‑motivated and adaptable, with the organisational skills necessary to work to deadlines in a matrix environment and across a portfolio of internal and collaborative projects.
• Intellectual curiosity, critical and analytical thinker, strong problem solver.
• Evidence of leading successful antibody discovery campaigns and the ability to work well within a team.
• Good communication skills, both verbal and written, including the ability to present data to diverse audiences.
• On‑site presence at our Stevenage laboratories for a minimum of 4 days a week, with at least 3 days per month at our laboratory at the Crick Institute.
• Experience with multiple antibody‑based formats (e.g. multi specific antibodies, ADCs).
• Experience with challenging targets and using multiple immunisation modalities for in‑vivo platforms.
• Experience with antibody humanisation and engineering.
• Experience with using in silico‑based tools for sequence analysis and/or structural analysis.
• Experience working with AI‑or ML‑based methods in discovery.
• Experience in high throughput methodology with associated data capture and handling.
• Experience and disease expertise in neurodegeneration, oncology or infectious disease areas.

About us

LifeArc is a not‑for‑profit life science organisation, leading the way for change in rare diseases in the UK and supporting promising initiatives in global health. We seek out research in areas of unmet need that has great potential, providing support to help it become breakthroughs that change lives.

What we can offer you

Focused on finding life changing solutions for underserved patients, our people thrive in an inclusive, and supportive environment that prioritises their health and wellbeing. Our multidisciplinary approach guarantees our people growth opportunities, while our culture of innovation and collaboration drives the impact we make delivering on our purpose of ‘putting patients at the centre of everything we do’. We are dedicated to creating a diverse, flexible, equitable and happy work environment so our colleagues can thrive as their truest selves. We act with courage, curiosity, care & commitment to deliver quality & excellence for our patients and each other.

Join us, and you’ll be given the scope to develop your professional skills and experience in a safe, supportive and challenging environment. Salary will be determined by qualifications and experience along with other exceptional benefits. Because we understand everyone has different requirements, our flexible benefits allow you to choose those which are important to you. Our pension scheme offers employer contributions of up to 12%, private health insurance, and annual leave of 31 days PLUS bank holidays.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people from minority ethnic backgrounds, for example, are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At LifeArc we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so whatever your background or lived experience, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. Our top priority is finding the best candidate, and you may be just right for this or other roles. We all have potential. At LifeArc, you’ll discover what you can really do with it.