Research Associate 2

Introduction: Xencor•Pasadena, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Xencor is a public, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company located in the Los Angeles area (Pasadena) and in San Diego. Our focus is developing high-potential XmAb® bispecific T-cell engagers and additional engineered drug candidates that leverage our differentiated technology platforms, and we are advancing our pipeline toward clinical proof-of-concept decisions. Our goal is to create high-impact therapeutics for patients with cancer and other serious diseases. More than 20 XmAb drug candidates engineered with our technology are in clinical development, and three XmAb medicines have been marketed by partners. For more information, please visit www.xencor.com. We have an excellent opportunity for a Research Associate 2 in our Bioanalytical Development group to join our team. This position is on-site at our Pasadena, Ca. location.

Requirements

High School diploma or GED with at least 6 years related laboratory work experience in an academic or industry setting.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities
Strong interpersonal skills
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Ability to work well in a team and independently
Strong oral and written communication skills
Ability to work in a fast-paced, goal-oriented multi-project environment
Ability to understand and follow instructions from supervisors or other team members
Ability to provide guidance to subordinate roles
Detail oriented, good documentation practice and strong organizational skills; ability to perform method development with assistance, follow and write basic lab protocols, maintain detailed records and inventory
Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and ability to use job relevant software programs like GraphPad Prism, JMP, SoftMax, MSD Discovery Workbench etc.
Ability to demonstrate competencies applicable for job based on Xencor’s Leadership Competency Model.
Ability to follow the established Environmental Health & Safety rules, procedures, and/or BioSafety Guidelines
Ability to read and understand Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)
Ability to be available and willing to work some weekends and evenings to conduct and complete experiments
Knowledge of biosafety techniques and aseptic/gowning practices
Experience with laboratory safety standards and procedures, including biohazard handling and disposal techniques, and the ability to ensure laboratory compliance with required safety regulations
Experience working with biological and chemical hazards, infectious agents, bloodborne pathogens and animal allergens
Experience working in and maintaining a sterile environment
Experience working with chemical, and biological hazards
Thorough knowledge of the operation and maintenance of various lab equipment such as microscopes, centrifuges, spectrophotometers, balances, pH meters, and electrophoresis equipment, freezers, and incubators.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in biological sciences, cell biology, immunology or a related field with at least 3 years’ related laboratory work experience is preferred.
Master’s degree in biological sciences, cell biology, immunology or a related field with 1-2 years’ related laboratory work experience in an academic or industry setting is highly preferred.
Industry experience is also preferred.
Technical proficiency and experience developing and running immunoassays and/or bioassays
Experience in protein quantitation, labelling and conjugation techniques.
Experiences in flow cytometry, with proficiency in multi-laser flow cytometry preferred
Experience applying complex, multiple cell type co-culture techniques
Experience with aseptic techniques such as may be required for working in BSCs.
Experience with mammalian cell culture (aseptic preparation of media, freezing and thawing of cells, expanding/splitting cells for in vivo implantation).

Responsibilities

Supports the development, qualification, and execution of immunoassays for the detection of anti-drug antibodies (ADA), pharmacokinetics (PK), and biomarkers in preclinical and clinical samples for therapeutic antibody and protein candidates in the areas of oncology, inflammation and autoimmune disease.
Contributes to research team efforts toward designing and running experiments, analyzing results, and interpreting data
Documents experimental protocols, designs, and results in a laboratory notebook
Conducts and troubleshoots various experiments in support of research
Executes standard operating procedures
Maintains laboratory inventory, equipment and related supplies
Utilizes computer programs to collect, analyze, and record data
Analyzes and reports data, adhering to previously established timelines
Communicates data to team members
Contributes content to SOPs presentations and technical reports
May present data in departmental meetings
Follows all laboratory safety guidelines, practices and protocols
Coordinates and collaborates on research-related tasks across multiple groups
Adheres to all department and company-wide policies regarding conduct, performance and procedures
Performs other duties as required.
Assist in the development and optimization of ELISA, ECL (MSD), and other ligand-binding assays (LBA) for PK, ADA, and biomarker assessments.
Perform sample analysis under GLP-like conditions, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
Contribute to method qualification, troubleshooting, and assay performance evaluations
Prepare buffers, reagents, and detailed documentation including assay worksheets and experimental summaries.
Maintain laboratory equipment and adhere to all safety and quality protocols.
Collaborate closely with scientists and cross-functional teams to support preclinical and clinical study timelines.
Assist in data interpretation, reporting, and presenting findings in internal meetings.