Research Senior Associate

Takeda•Boston, MA

6d•$89,900 - $141,240•Hybrid

About The Position

Takeda Development Center Americas, Inc. is seeking a Research Senior Associate to lead antibody discovery activities. The role designs and executes in vitro antibody discovery campaigns using full-length IgG yeast display and phage display platforms, applying platform-specific selection strategies to maximize hit diversity and developability. It also collaborates with computational teams to experimentally assess de novo antibody designs using yeast display. The position independently leads end-to-end discovery campaigns, including library construction, FACS selection strategy development, sequencing analysis, clone triage, and hit confirmation. It develops Python-based scripts, data visualization tools, and agentic AI-enabled workflows for high-throughput screening, sequence-function analysis, and multidimensional antibody discovery datasets. The role performs NGS-based campaign analyses, including clone enrichment, lineage tracking, sequence prioritization, and identification of productive binders across selection rounds. The Research Senior Associate designs and leads multistage experiments to advance biotherapeutic candidates from target validation through lead optimization, focusing on developability and affinity. Work includes constructing immune antibody libraries from mice, humanized transgenic mice, and llamas in formats such as Fab, IgG, sdAb, and HCAb; mammalian cell culture; ELISA; multiparameter flow cytometry; and high-throughput cell sorting for single B-cell and yeast workflows. The role screens and characterizes campaign outputs using biophysical, cell-based, and developability assays, including BLI, on-cell binding, polyspecificity, stability, and expression analyses. Additional responsibilities include designing molecular cloning strategies for antibody variable gene amplification, combinatorial library construction, and display-library diversity generation; applying DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, RT-PCR, restriction-enzyme cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, and library-generation techniques; leading troubleshooting and scientific problem-solving; and conducting quantitative data analysis and formulating mechanistic hypotheses to guide program decisions. Up to 20% remote work is allowed.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, or a related field.
At least 30 months of related experience.
Experience designing and executing end-to-end antibody discovery campaigns on a bicistronic phage display platform, advancing immune Fab and single-domain libraries through helper/hyperphage rescue and biopanning selection strategies.
Experience leading phage-based antibody discovery campaigns against complex targets, including GPCRs, HLAs, and the wider cell membrane proteome, and translating immune libraries into high-affinity, functional binders.
Experience building NGS libraries from Fab and VHH antibody repertoires, including amplicon-based library preparation, indexing/barcoding, library QC, and preparation for Illumina sequencing.
Experience using multiparameter flow cytometry and FACS-based sorting, ELISA, and Octet-based BLI to confirm binding and resolve kinetic profiles.
Experience interpreting flow cytometry experimental and statistical data using FlowJo and GraphPad Prism, visualizing structures in PyMOL, and designing library construction and mutagenesis using Geneious Prime, Geneious Biologics, IgBLAST, SnapGene, or similar tools.
Experience constructing recombinant plasmids and libraries using molecular cloning, gene editing, RT-PCR, cDNA/DNA/RNA isolation, and Gibson assembly.
Experience executing high-throughput screening and automation workflows using liquid-handling systems and integrating automated processes.

Responsibilities

Design and execute in vitro antibody discovery campaigns using full-length IgG yeast display and phage display platforms.
Collaborate with computational teams to experimentally interrogate de novo antibody designs using yeast display.
Lead end-to-end discovery campaigns, including library construction, FACS selection strategy development, sequencing analysis, clone triage, and hit confirmation.
Develop Python-based scripts, data visualization tools, and agentic AI-enabled workflows for high-throughput screening, sequence-function analysis, and multidimensional antibody discovery datasets.
Perform NGS-based analysis of antibody discovery campaigns, including clone enrichment analysis, lineage tracking, sequence prioritization, and identification of productive binders across selection rounds.
Design and lead multistage discovery experiments to advance biotherapeutic candidates from target validation through lead optimization, focusing on developability and affinity.
Construct immune antibody libraries from mice, humanized transgenic mice, and llamas in formats including Fab, IgG, sdAb, and HCAb.
Perform mammalian cell culture, ELISA, multiparameter flow cytometry, and high-throughput cell sorting for single B-cell and yeast workflows.
Screen and characterize antibody discovery outputs using biophysical, cell-based, and developability assays, including BLI, on-cell binding, polyspecificity, stability, and expression analyses.
Design molecular cloning strategies for antibody variable gene amplification, combinatorial library construction, and display-library diversity generation.
Apply DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, RT-PCR, restriction-enzyme cloning, site-directed mutagenesis, and library-generation techniques.
Lead troubleshooting and scientific problem-solving efforts within discovery programs.
Perform quantitative data analysis and formulate mechanistic hypotheses to guide program decisions.