Senior Principal Scientist

Summit Therapeutics•Palo Alto, CA

1d•$168,000 - $197,000

About The Position

This is a hands-on, laboratory-based cell biology role focused on antibody screening and functional characterization in oncology and immunology. The scientist is primarily responsible for bench work, from binding assays through immune-effector and cell-killing assays, and contributes directly to the discovery, characterization, and advancement of antibody pipeline candidates. The role involves antibody binding and specificity screening, cell-based assays, immune-cell functional assays, and characterization of Fc-effector functions. It may also support in vivo studies, including PK/PD experiments, and work with contract research organizations and academic laboratories. The scientist collaborates across functions, communicates experimental findings to internal stakeholders, contributes to scientific publications and conference materials, and performs related duties such as drafting SOPs and protocols and maintaining instruments.

Requirements

PhD plus at least 3 years of industry experience, or MS plus at least 5 years of industry experience, in cell biology, immunology, cancer biology, or a related field.
Experience with multi-antibody characterization, including ELISA and cell-based binding assays for antibody screening.
Hands-on experience with ADCC, CDC, and ADCP assays for antibody characterization.
Experience with primary human PBMCs and isolated T cells and NK cells, including PBMC-based tumor-killing assays, T-cell and NK-cell activation assays, and Treg depletion assays.
Ability to work independently.
Strong scientific communication record across presentations, posters, and manuscripts, together with cross-functional collaboration experience.
Ability to assess emerging technologies, scientific literature, and competitive landscapes in oncology and immunology to inform innovation and pipeline development.

Nice To Haves

In vivo animal experience, particularly PK/PD studies, including study design, dosing, sample collection, and analysis of exposure and pharmacodynamic readouts in mouse tumor models.
Antibody affinity measurement experience, for example SPR or BLI, and reporter-gene assays for target binding or blockade.
Publication record in immuno-oncology.
Multiplex immunohistochemistry or fluorescence microscopy experience.
Experience with IND study reports.

Responsibilities

Perform antibody ELISA assays to assess binding, specificity, and cross-reactivity and to screen and rank candidate antibodies.
Run cell-based binding assays on target-expressing tumor and immune cell lines and primary cells, typically using flow cytometry.
Develop, optimize, and qualify assays; analyze and summarize screening data to support candidate selection.
Run PBMC-based tumor-killing assays and co-culture systems using primary human immune cells.
Measure T-cell and NK-cell activation, including activation markers, proliferation, cytokine release, and cytotoxicity.
Evaluate regulatory T-cell (Treg) depletion and changes in immune-cell composition after antibody treatment.
Use mechanistic findings to inform indication selection, rational combinations, and biomarker development.
Design and execute ADCC, CDC, and ADCP assays to characterize candidate antibody effector function.
Compare candidates across Fc formats, target-expression levels, and cell models to understand mechanism of action and evaluate antibody potency and safety.
Support animal studies, including PK/PD experiments, to connect in vitro activity with in vivo exposure and pharmacodynamic response.
Work with contract research organizations and academic laboratories to extend in vitro and in vivo studies.
Design and run experiments to characterize and advance candidate molecules.
Prepare in-depth analyses and executive-level summaries for internal stakeholders.
Serve as a subject-matter expert in cross-functional teams and support decision-making.
Develop conference abstracts and presentations and contribute manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication.
Draft SOPs and protocols, maintain instruments, and perform other assigned responsibilities and duties.