Principal Scientist - Antibody Characterization, Optimization & Immunology

IDEXX•Westbrook, ME

6d•$125,000•Onsite

About The Position

Join IDEXX's Molecular Analytics and Bioanalytical Research and Instrumentation Center (BRIC) at the intersection of immunology and antibody science — where deep knowledge of the immune system directly drives the development of diagnostic products used by veterinarians worldwide. As a Principal Scientist, you will apply expertise spanning adaptive immunity, antibody biology, and biophysical characterization across a portfolio unmatched in the industry, working with cross-functional teams to advance candidates from immunological concepts to characterized lead. This role sits at the intersection of immunology and antibody science. As a Principal Scientist within the Molecular Analytics and BRIC team, you will work cross-functionally to translate deep immunological insight into high-quality antibody candidates — advancing novel targets from concept to characterized lead. Your expertise in adaptive immunity, biophysical characterization, and single-cell platforms will shape how IDEXX discovers and develops reagents at scale, with direct and lasting impact on animal health globally.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Immunology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biophysics, or related field with 5–7 years of industry/academia experience
Deep understanding of adaptive immunity: B and T cell biology, humoral immune responses, and antibody affinity maturation
Proven experience in antibody engineering (IgG, Fab, nanobodies, and scFv), biophysical characterization, and lead optimization
Hands-on expertise in biophysical methods and molecular biology skills including cloning and mammalian expression systems
Strong planning, execution, decision-making, and problem-solving skills with a demonstrated ability to drive complex projects to completion
Excellent written and verbal communication; demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams

Nice To Haves

Multi-species antibody experience is a significant advantage
Experience with automated single-cell biology platforms for high-throughput antibody screening and functional cell profiling

Responsibilities

Leverage automated single-cell biology platforms and deep understanding of B cell activation, affinity maturation for high-throughput screening, and selection of high-quality antibody candidates against novel targets.
Apply humoral immunology knowledge, including antibody isotypes, Fc effector biology, T cell help, and antigen presentation, to guide candidate antibody generation and selection.
Engineer multi-format antibody molecules: IgG, Fab, nanobodies, and scFv; leveraging yeast and phage display platforms.
Lead biophysical characterization (BLI, SPR), developability assessments, epitope mapping, evaluate binding kinetics, stability, and sequence liabilities, executing optimization campaigns via site-directed mutagenesis and structure-guided engineering.
Provide technical leadership within cross-functional teams, author technical reports, design history files, and laboratory notebooks.