Principal Scientist, High Throughput Production and Automation Group Leader, Discovery Biologics

Job Description

Principal Scientist, High Throughput Production and Automation Group Leader, Discovery Biologics

We are on a quest for cures and are committed to be the world’s premier, most research-intensive biopharmaceutical company. Our teams combine leading drug discovery capabilities and world-class R&D with the purpose of turning breakthrough science into life-changing medicines.

We are seeking a scientific leader experienced in the intersection of protein sciences and automated solutions for the role of Principal Scientist (Director level) in the Boston Discovery Biologics group, which is an end-to-end vertically integrated Discovery organization. The candidate will serve a central role in the group by leading the molecular biology and high throughput protein production team within the Biologics Production and Engineering group in addition to matrix oversight of automated experimental solutions for the broader Boston Discovery Biologics organization. They will oversee the execution of high throughput production queue that translates our protein engineering team and hit identification team’s designs into screening sets of fit-for-purpose therapeutics. They will work closely with the Early Biotherapeutics Characterization team to streamline handoffs for deeper characterization and developability analysis of produced molecules prior to their release to project teams. The ideal candidate will have a deep expertise in the design and hands-on execution of semi to fully automated high throughput approaches as they’re applied to biologics discovery. They will leverage their experiences advancing therapeutics from discovery into the clinic to optimize our ways of working and contribute to the success of all pipeline programs. The candidate’s holistic understanding of drug discovery will assist our organization as it directly integrates computational and wet-lab approaches with state-of-the-art automation to accelerate the discovery, engineering, and characterization of novel biologics in the pre-IND pipeline.

As a people manager, they will invest in the growth and development of current and future staff to create a culture of collaboration and accountability that enables shared success. They will work closely with their team members to leverage strengths and identify opportunities to continually expand technical skillsets and enterprise thinking. They will work to support the department’s efforts to recruit highly skilled key talent to the organization and be a champion for inclusion. We recognize that our team is our strength, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Successful candidates must demonstrate inclusive behaviors in working with a group of researchers to drive our core mission.

What you will do:

• Provide scientific and strategic leadership to a team of 4 FTEs
• Lead continuous improvement of our physical and digital workflows as well as guiding future automated workflow expansion to continue delivering on tomorrow's therapeutic pipeline
• Manage outsourcing CROs for molecular biology and protein production to maximize the impact of our internal resources
• Effectively partner with teams within Discovery Biologics and across multidisciplinary interfaces to achieve organizational objectives
• Manage our fleet of liquid handlers (Dynamic Devices, TECAN, Hamilton) and associated peripheral equipment
• Leverage programmatic leadership experience to support and co-lead Discovery Biologics therapeutic programs in collaboration with Therapeutic Areas
• Foster a culture of scientific excellence and collaboration by mentoring and developing scientists, leveraging individual strengths to build a high-performing, engaged team
• Stay abreast of external advancements in relevant scientific fields and promote the external reputation of Discovery Biologics
• Be a champion for an inclusive culture

QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Computational Biology, Protein Engineering, Physics, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Science or related STEM field with 8+ years relevant industry experience, Master's with 12+ years relevant industry experience or Bachelor's with 14+ years of relevant industry experience in biochemistry or related field
• Relevant experience to include a record of increasing responsibility and independence in a similar industrial setting

Required Experience and Skills

• Experience supporting biologic therapeutic discovery programs
• Extensive production group leadership experience with a track record of talent acquisition, retention, and development
• Deep expertise in state-of-the-art high throughput molecular biology and protein production methodology
• Experienced in the development, adaption, and continued usage of integrated, automated biologic production and characterization platforms including automated data capture
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced matrixed reporting model in which your team will work on multiple projects in parallel

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