Senior Scientist, Antibody/Protein Engineer for Targeted Delivery

Senior Scientist – Antibody/ Protein Engineer for Targeted Delivery

Gaithersburg, MD

At AstraZeneca, we put patients first and strive to meet their unmet needs worldwide. Working here means being daring, thinking big and working together to make the impossible a reality. If you are swift to action, confident to lead, excited to collaborate, and curious about what science can do, then you’re our kind of person!

Summary of the Group

Biologics Engineering (BE) is responsible for the discovery and optimization of next generation and novel biologics across all AstraZeneca therapy areas, providing cutting edge drug discovery capabilities to drive portfolio drug projects.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

In this role you will be part of a team of highly skilled and passionate individuals responsible for innovating and generating the best in class targeted delivery conjugates for Oncology. We are seeking a highly motivated protein engineer with a background in antibody and smaller biological binding formats. Exciting opportunity to learn and contribute to multi-disciplinary drug development.

Key responsibilities include:

• Perform antibody engineering to improve in vivo properties and reduce off-target toxicities
• Design and select fit for purpose antibody and smaller biological formats
• Express, purify and characterize biological binding formats
• Utilize computational tools for designing next generation targeted delivery conjugates
• Collaborate and work with diverse group of scientists across various therapeutic areas, chemistry and process development to ensure timely progress in research projects and drive technological innovations

Basic Requirements:

• Ph.D. in biological sciences or related discipline with 2+ years of industry or post-doctoral experience structural biology, computational biology/chemistry or protein engineering.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in the structure-based protein engineering using computational modeling.
• Expertise in engineering and expressing cutting-edge biological formats including small antibody fragments, VHHs, affibody, multi-specifics, etc.
• Hands-on experience and knowledge of protein purification using HIC, IEX, SEC and affinity chromatography. Experience with GE AKTA FPLC preferred.
• Proven ability to work independently, effectively plan and organize work activities and prioritize task completion to meet project deadlines
• Demonstrated experience in optimizing/troubleshooting protocols with a problem-solving attitude
• Track record of scientific innovation as evidenced by scientific publications, patents and oral presentations at conferences

Desired Skills:

• Molecular biology skills and cell biology assay experience is a plus
• Experience in developing novel conjugation methodology
• Experience with antibody selection techniques (phage/yeast display) selections
• Experience with automation platforms
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and effective presentation of complex scientific data to cross-functional and senior management

About our Gaithersburg, MD site

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland facility creates life-changing medicines for people around the world. This campus employs more than 3,500 authorities in our field and is only a short drive from Washington, DC. This modern and vibrant scientific campus is the home of R&D and Oncology in the US. Here, we play host to some of the most ground breaking technology and lab spaces, all designed to inspire collaboration and cross-functional science. We believe employees benefit from being challenged and inspired at work. We are dedicated to creating a culture of inclusion and collaboration.

The Gaithersburg site offers a variety of amenities to help boost productivity and help keep our employees happy and healthy. This includes a fitness center, employee healthcare clinic, electric vehicle charging stations, dry cleaning, full-service cafeteria and on-site day care. This is where you’ll find activity-based workspaces to suit a variety of working styles while increasing collaboration between teams.

Why AstraZeneca?

At AstraZeneca when we see an opportunity for change, we seize it and make it happen, because any opportunity no matter how small, can be the start of something big. Delivering life-changing medicines is about being daring - finding those moments and recognizing their potential. Join us on our journey of building a new kind of organization to reset expectations of what a bio-pharmaceutical company can be. This means we’re opening new ways to work, pioneering innovative methods and bringing unexpected teams together. Interested? Come and join our journey.

So, what’s next?

Are you already inspiring yourself joining our team? Are you ready to bring new insights and fresh thinking to the table? Good, because we can’t wait to hear from you!

Where can I find out more?

Our Social Media, Follow AstraZeneca on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/1603/

If you’re curious to know more, please contact Elva Chase, our Talent Acquisition Partner, https://www.linkedin.com/in/ee-c-2b161b246/

Follow AstraZeneca on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/astrazenecacareers/

AstraZeneca embraces diversity and equality of opportunity. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team representing all backgrounds, with as wide a range of perspectives as possible, and harnessing industry-leading skills. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be. We welcome and consider applications to join our team from all qualified candidates, regardless of their characteristics. We comply with all applicable laws and regulations on non-discrimination in employment (and recruitment), as well as work authorisation and employment eligibility verification requirements.