Senior Research Scientist

AbCellera is a nimble, energetic, and quickly growing tech company that searches, decodes, and analyzes natural immune systems to find antibodies that its partners can develop into drugs to prevent and treat disease. We are not afraid of challenges and together we tackle tough problems. AbCellera has made significant news as a leader in the development of antibody therapeutics to treat COVID-19. We won’t stop with this success though, and continue to partner with industry leaders to identify therapeutics for serious diseases.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Research Scientist who thrives in a  fast-paced organization and  brings  in-depth understanding and leadership in analytical and biophysical methods as well as exceptional communication skills. Ideal candidates have a passion for drug development, understand what it takes to bring an antibody theraeutic from research into development, and will be driven by the opportunity to collaborate with teams from across the organization including early discovery, translational sciences, pre-clinical development, and CMC. Help us build a fully integrated next generation drug discovery platform that can rapidly turn discovered antibodies into a therapeutic lead ready for clinical testing.

We’re offering a generous compensation package including an equity stake in AbCellera’s success. Our facilities are nestled in the heart of beautiful Vancouver, Canada, and we will enthusiastically support you and your family to relocate to this amazing area!

How you might spend your days:

• Liaising with partners and internal stakeholders, and communicating project updates and deliverables
• Interpreting complex antibody characterization datasets including analytical, biophysical, SPR binding and in silico assessment to nominate lead candidate antibody molecules to progress into clinical development
• Managing and mentoring junior scientists within a rapidly growing and dynamic team
• Developing, optimizing and automating workflows to assess antibody developability and manufacturability
• Working with data scientists, machine learning and software engineers to streamline the capture, curation and analysis of large data sets
• Collaborating with teammates from discovery biology, protein engineering and other teams to build platforms and processes, as well as analyze, interpret and communicate data
• Providing protein science and biotherapeutic leadership within multidisciplinary drug discovery teams
• Acting as a subject matter expert for analytical and biophysical assays and antibody developability and manufacturability

We’d love to hear from you if:

• You have a passion for science, technology, and innovation 
• You are energized by working with teammates to develop innovative workflows that revolutionize the quality and speed of therapeutic antibody discovery and optimization
• You are self-motivated, and have the initiative to meet project goals under tight timelines
• You are an outstanding communicator and team player

Required qualifications and experience:

• A PhD in Biophysics, Biochemistry, or Structural Biology, with an additional 8+ years of relevant experience including at least 4 years in the biopharma or biotechnology industries. Candidates with an MSc degree and 10+ years of relevant experience will also be considered
• Demonstrated expertise in the detailed analytical characterization of antibodies or other protein therapeutics using analytical SEC, HIC, IEX, light scattering, CE-SDS, cIEF, DSF, DSC, mass spectrometry, or related techniques
• In-depth understanding of antibody sequences and structure, as well as common modifications and physical and chemical stability risks
• Experience managing and interacting with electronic lab notebook environments, and laboratory information and inventory management systems
• Experience with evaluating protein interactions and mechanism of action using SPR, BLI, ITC, ELISA, Kinexa, AUC, or related assays would be an advantage
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively as a member of a cross-functional team
• Impeccable attention to detail, excellent communication, documentation and technical writing skills
• Excellent decision-making and troubleshooting skills
• Ability to analyze large data sets, interpret and communicate data in the context of broader project objectives
• Excellent documentation and organizational skills with impeccable attention to detail

Bonus points if you have:

• Supported preclinical development of biologics and helped to generate data that supported their clinical development
• Experience with bi-/multispecific antibodies
• Written formal reports with interpretations based on data you generated in complex biological systems to build mechanistic confidence in a target

What We Offer

AbCellera’s hiring range for this role is $90,000 - $108,000, annually, commensurate with your education and job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. We base our salary ranges on localized market data ensuring competitive compensation. In addition to base salary, we offer equity, annual bonus dependent on team and company performance, and 6% (non-match) RRSP contribution. 

At AbCellera, we have a number of initiatives to support AbCellerites in maximizing their work-life synergy. You will have a $1,500 annual active lifestyle allowance, annual vacation and company-wide office closures (a real value to all!), opportunity for flexible work arrangements, professional development opportunities, and comprehensive health benefits. Scientific and technical mentorship is a priority. Abundant team and social groups to build community and connections within AbCellera are a given.

About AbCellera: 

At AbCellera, we’re solving tough problems and creating innovative solutions from the ground up - custom immunizations, microfluidics, high-throughput imaging, genomics, computation, machine learning and laboratory automation. We’re revolutionizing how our scientists can explore antibodies and the scale at which they can do so. This is life-changing research and you could be a part of it.

You’ll join a diverse and multi-disciplinary team of biologists, biochemists, engineers, bioinformaticians, computer scientists and physicists - all working together to bring better therapies to patients. We’re a growing company with a high-throughput pipeline and the drive to be the best in the industry. This isn’t just about having the best technology. We know we need a world-class team of visionaries and innovators. We look for people with drive and energy. Idealists. People we love and people we trust. This may be unconventional, but it is the key to our success. We’re looking for someone like you to help us get there.

To apply:

Please submit your application through our website and refer to Job ID 23128 in your cover letter. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.