Senior Research Scientist, Target Identification & Validation — Translational Immunology

Vertex Pharmaceuticals • Seattle, WA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Vertex Pharmaceuticals is seeking a highly motivated and innovative Senior Research Scientist with expertise in immunology and autoimmune disease biology to join our Target Identification and Validation team within the Seattle-based Translational Immunology team. This role will contribute to the discovery and validation of novel therapeutic targets for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases with serious unmet medical need. The successful candidate will apply deep immunological knowledge and cutting-edge experimental approaches to interrogate disease mechanisms, define novel therapeutic targets, and build data packages that inform portfolio decisions. This is a laboratory-based position embedded within a collaborative, cross-functional drug discovery environment where scientific rigor, creativity, and translational thinking are essential. The ideal candidate will bring hands-on expertise in human immunology, a strong record of scientific accomplishment, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented setting focused on delivering transformative medicines for patients.

Requirements

• Strong expertise in immunology and immune cell biology, with a working understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
• Proven experience in the isolation, culture, and functional characterization of primary human immune cell populations from peripheral blood and tissues
• Deep proficiency in multi-parameter flow cytometry, including panel design, acquisition, and data analysis
• Hands-on experience with molecular and cellular biology techniques including ELISA, MSD, qPCR, Western blotting, and cell-based functional assays
• Familiarity with CRISPR-based gene editing approaches and their application to target validation
• Working knowledge of single-cell technologies, multi-omics approaches, and high-dimensional data analysis
• Basic computational skills, including data visualization and statistical analysis, with an interest in developing this skill set further
• Demonstrated ability to design rigorous experiments to determine biological mechanisms, analyze complex datasets, and draw clear scientific conclusions
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to present scientific data effectively in written and oral formats to diverse audiences
• Strong collaborative mindset with the ability to work productively in a cross-functional, multi-site team environment
• Scientific creativity paired with attention to detail and a commitment to data quality and reproducibility
• Ph.D. (or equivalent degree) in immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related disciplines and 2-5 years of relevant post-doctoral employment experience, or Masters Degree (or equivalent degree) in immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related disciplines and 5+ years of relevant employment experience, or Bachelors Degree (or equivalent degree) in immunology, molecular biology, cell biology, biochemistry, or related disciplines and 8+ years of relevant employment experience

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and interpret experiments to identify and validate novel therapeutic targets relevant to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
• Develop and optimize disease-relevant in vitro and ex vivo assay systems using primary human immune cells and patient-derived samples to evaluate target biology and therapeutic potential
• Integrate multi-dimensional datasets including genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional data to generate and refine target hypotheses
• Collaborate with data and computational sciences colleagues to leverage large-scale human datasets for target discovery and prioritization
• Contribute to the design and execution of in vivo studies to assess target relevance and therapeutic mechanisms in preclinical models
• Present scientific findings and strategic recommendations to cross-functional project teams, senior leadership, and external collaborators with clarity and scientific rigor
• Evaluate and implement emerging technologies and experimental platforms to advance target identification and validation capabilities
• Collaborate closely with immune cell profiling, clinical biomarker, and drug discovery teams across Vertex’s multi-site research organization to support program progression
• Maintain thorough and accurate documentation of experimental work in electronic laboratory notebooks and contribute to internal knowledge-sharing
• Stay current with the scientific literature and external landscape in immunology and autoimmune disease biology to inform research strategy
• Perform other duties as assigned

Benefits

• annual bonus
• annual equity awards
• medical, dental and vision benefits
• generous paid time off (including a week-long company shutdown in the Summer and the Winter)
• educational assistance programs including student loan repayment
• a generous commuting subsidy
• matching charitable donations
• 401(k)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees