Sr Scientist, Process Development

Gilead Sciences•Foster City, CA

About The Position

At Gilead, we’re creating a healthier world for all people. For more than 35 years, we’ve tackled diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19 and cancer – working relentlessly to develop therapies that help improve lives and to ensure access to these therapies across the globe. We continue to fight against the world’s biggest health challenges, and our mission requires collaboration, determination and a relentless drive to make a difference. Every member of Gilead’s team plays a critical role in the discovery and development of life-changing scientific innovations. Our employees are our greatest asset as we work to achieve our bold ambitions, and we’re looking for the next wave of passionate and ambitious people ready to make a direct impact. We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Gilead and help create possible, together. Job Description Senior Scientist – Purification Automation, High-Throughput Robotics & Modeling The Position At Gilead, we are driven by a shared mission to discover, develop, and deliver transformative therapies for patients with life-threatening diseases. Achieving this mission requires not only scientific excellence, but also innovation in how we design, execute, and interpret process development experiments. Within Process Development and Manufacturing (PDM), the Purification Development organization is responsible for developing robust, scalable, and manufacturable downstream processes that enable reliable clinical and commercial supply. As Biologics pipelines grow in complexity, we are advancing automation-enabled, data-driven purification platforms to accelerate development timelines and strengthen process understanding. We are seeking a Senior Scientist with expertise in purification automation, high-throughput experimentation, mechanistic modeling, and data science to help shape and advance the next generation of purification process development at Gilead. The Opportunity In this role, you will help transform how purification processes are developed by integrating miniaturized, high-throughput experimentation with mechanistic and data-driven modeling. You will contribute to the design and deployment of scalable purification screening platforms that enable rapid evaluation of resin behavior, operating conditions, and molecule specific interactions using limited material. By combining robotics, advanced analytics, and modeling, this role supports earlier, more confident technical decision-making through improved assessment of purification risk, robustness, and manufacturability across the development lifecycle. You will work closely with purification scientists, automation engineers, analytical teams, and data scientists, with opportunities to influence platform strategy and impact multiple programs across the Biologics portfolio.

Requirements

Ph.D. with 2+ years (Senior Scientist) OR B.S./M.S. with substantial industry experience in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g. chemical engineering, bioengineering, chemistry, or biochemistry)
Strong foundation in protein purification, chromatography mechanisms, and downstream process development
Hands on experience with laboratory automation and high-throughput robotics (e.g. Hamilton, Tecan, or similar platforms)
Experience designing and executing miniaturized purification, binding, or screening assays
Background in mechanistic modeling of purification or related physical/chemical processes
Demonstrated ability to independently design, analyze, and troubleshoot complex experimental systems
Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to connect experimental observations to mechanistic and quantitative understanding
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a collaborative and team-oriented mindset

Nice To Haves

Experience applying machine learning, multivariate analysis, or advanced statistics to experimental datasets
Proficiency in Python, R, MATLAB, or similar tools for data analysis, modeling, and automation integration

Responsibilities

Purification Automation & High-Throughput Experimentation Design, implement, and continuously improve automated, high-throughput purification assays, including miniaturized resin screening and binding studies
Develop and maintain scalable, reproducible robotic workflows using liquid handling and automation platforms
Translate traditional column scale purification concepts into low-mass, high-information screening formats that support rapid decision making
Mechanistic Modeling & Data Driven Insight Develop and apply mechanistic models (e.g., adsorption, binding kinetics, transport phenomena) to interpret purification data and guide experimental design and operating window definition
Apply multivariate analysis, machine learning, and statistical modeling to analyze complex datasets, identify trends, and predict purification performance under varying conditions
Integrate experimental and computational approaches to improve understanding of resin–protein interactions, process sensitivities, and scale relevant behavior
Process Development Impact Enable early identification of process risks, sensitivities, and operating windows to support purification process design
Inform resin selection, buffer strategies, and process parameters using data driven insights
Contribute to platform and capability development that benefits multiple programs across the Gilead Biologics portfolio
Collaboration & Communication Partner closely with cross functional teams in Purification, Automation, Analytics, and Data Science
Communicate results clearly through technical reports, presentations, and data visualizations tailored to diverse audiences
Contribute to Gilead internal best practices, knowledge sharing, and long-term technology strategy within Purification Development

Benefits

This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package.
Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans.
For additional benefits information, visit: https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

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