Scientist, Biophysical Characterization (SPR/BLI)

Medra•San Francisco, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Medra is seeking a Scientist to own biophysical characterization on their Physical AI platform. The role involves developing, validating, and scaling label-free binding assays, primarily SPR and BLI, to create autonomous, high-throughput workflows. Key areas of focus include antibody affinity and kinetics, epitope binning, self-interaction, and quantitation. The ideal candidate will combine deep biophysical expertise with hands-on skills to translate these assays into an autonomous lab environment, working closely with roboticists and software engineers, and directly with customers to deliver characterization campaigns.

Requirements

Ph.D. in biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, or a related discipline with 2+ years of industry experience, or a B.S./M.S. with 6+ years of deep, hands-on industry experience.
Deep hands-on expertise with SPR and/or BLI — instrument operation, assay development, and data analysis — with a track record of generating high-quality kinetics data
Strong command of binding kinetics theory and its practical pitfalls: avidity, mass transport, regeneration, surface capacity, and fitting model selection
Demonstrated experience developing and qualifying biophysical assays from scratch, including method validation and troubleshooting
Working understanding of antibody structure, function, and the therapeutic antibody discovery and developability process
Strong documentation habits, attention to detail, and the ability to drive multiple workstreams in parallel
A scrappy, can-do attitude — you figure things out and get things done

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with high-throughput SPR platforms (e.g., Carterra LSA) and array-based epitope binning
Experience with alternative binder formats — VHHs, bispecifics, Fc-fusions, or non-Ig scaffolds
Hands-on experience with lab automation and liquid handling platforms (e.g., Mosquito, Tempest, I.DOT)
Experience developing developability assay panels (nanoDSF/DLS, HPLC-SEC/HIC, AC-SINS) and integrating multi-instrument datasets
Experience building analysis pipelines or scripting for high-throughput kinetics data (Python/R)
Track record of developing and qualifying new assays or platforms from scratch

Responsibilities

Develop, validate, and run SPR and BLI assays across the full range of formats — affinity and kinetics, epitope binning, self-interaction (AC-SINS and BLI-based), and concentration/quantitation — on platforms including the Carterra LSA and Gator BLI
Design assay strategies for antibody and alternative binder characterization, selecting the right sensor chemistry, capture approach, regeneration conditions, and analysis models for each target and format
Build out new biophysical capabilities end-to-end: scope the need, evaluate technologies, qualify instruments, write SOPs, and prepare validated workflows for autonomous execution
Partner with roboticists and software engineers to translate manual SPR/BLI workflows into reliable, high-throughput autonomous protocols — including sample handling, plate setup, sensor/chip management, and data pipeline integration
Develop rigorous evals and QC frameworks for kinetics fitting, binning heatmaps, and developability flags, and interpret results to inform customer go/no-go decisions
Integrate biophysical data with orthogonal characterization — thermal stability (nanoDSF/DSC), aggregation and monomericity (HPLC-SEC/DLS), and polyspecificity — to give customers an integrated developability picture
Work directly with customers to scope characterization campaigns, communicate results clearly, and translate their scientific questions into executable assay plans
Maintain rigorous experimental records in electronic lab notebooks (ELN) and drive reproducibility across every assay you deploy