Associate Principal Scientist, Research Science

MSD

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking an energetic and highly motivated Scientist in Antibody Engineering with hands‑on experience in antibody discovery, optimization, and characterization. This individual will work as part of a rapidly growing bio-therapeutics group focusing on lead selection for new projects and development of leads from established discovery pipeline projects. The successful candidate will design and execute strategies to generate, engineer, and mature therapeutic antibodies and novel biologics. The successful candidate will collaborate cross‑functionally with Discovery Biology, Protein Sciences, Structural Biology, and Developability/CMC to advance molecules from hit identification through lead optimization.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in a biological discipline
• 3+ years relevant work experience in antibody discovery/engineering
• Demonstrated experience with at least one display platform (phage, yeast, or mammalian) or immunization‑based antibody discovery
• Hands‑on expertise in antibody engineering (speciation, affinity maturation, specificity tuning, format engineering)
• Proficiency in biomolecular interaction methods and analytical characterization (e.g., SPR/BLI)
• Proficiency with developability assessment and mitigation of sequence liabilities (e.g., deamidation, isomerization, oxidation, glycosylation hotspots)
• Strong data analysis and documentation skills
• Proficiency with molecular biology and sequence design tools (e.g., Geneious, MOE/Rosetta, IgBLAST/IMGT)
• Ability to interpret and analyze data from key biological, biochemical and immunological assay systems and design appropriate follow-on experiments
• Ability to contribute or manage more than one project at a time.
• Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration skills
• Accountability
• Analytical Characterization
• Antibody Engineering
• Antibody Therapeutics
• Assay
• Bioanalytical Analysis
• Bioanalytical Techniques
• Biomarker Development
• Cell-Based Assays
• Clinical Judgment
• Detail-Oriented
• Ethical Compliance
• Experimental Methods
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC)
• In Vivo Pharmacology
• Mass Spectrometry Analysis
• Polyclonal Antibody Production
• Product Development
• Project Management
• Protein Chemistry
• Scientific Research
• Scientific Writing

Nice To Haves

• Experience with bispecific/multispecific formats
• Experience with Fc engineering for effector function and half‑life
• Experience with computational antibody design
• Familiarity with early CMC and developability workflows
• Experience managing CROs or external partners

Responsibilities

• Design and initiate target-focused antibody discovery strategies
• Design, develop and optimize selection methods to enrich for affinity, specificity, cross‑reactivity, and epitope diversity
• Interface with CROs or platform vendors for immunization or display campaigns as needed
• Conduct affinity maturation, speciation (e.g. caninization/felinization), and specificity engineering (e.g., CDR grafting, back‑mutation, structure‑guided design)
• Engineer formats including Fabs, scFvs, VHHs, bispecifics, multispecifics, and Fc variants for tailored effector functions and half‑life
• Apply in silico tools for sequence liability assessment, developability predictions, and structure modeling
• Work with other team members to characterize biophysical and biochemical properties
• Assess binding by ELISA, SPR/BLI, flow cytometry
• Perform epitope binning/mapping and cross‑species reactivity
• Collaborate with biology teams to evaluate potency, MOA, and functional readouts
• Work with CMC teams to screen for developability (solubility, stability, aggregation, viscosity, PTM liabilities) and implement sequence fixes
• Provide input on sequence selection and manufacturability risks
• Plan, prioritize, and execute experiments; analyze data and present in cross‑functional forums
• Author study reports and contribute to patent filings and regulatory documents
• Mentor junior associates and help implement best practices and data management
• Apply knowledge of key signal transduction pathways to design appropriate assay systems for characterization of biological and pharmacological effects of new veterinary therapeutics.
• Develop and manage project specific milestones and timelines.
• Manage the R&D relationships with external service providers.
• Prepare progress reports and make presentations to stakeholders.
• Stay informed of external advances & technologies to enhance the product development portfolio.
• Communicate progress and plans to a variety of stakeholders with diverse expertise.
• Provide support, coaching or assistance to other team members.

Benefits

• medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• paid holidays
• vacation
• compassionate and sick days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees