Director, Antibody Engineering

Director, Antibody and Protein Engineering

Summary of Role

A leading global biopharma is seeking their next Director of Antibody & Protein Engineering. As Director, you'll head a team designing and optimizing antibodies and proteins, driving candidates from discovery to clinical development. You'll integrate advanced computational tools and structural insights to deliver high-performance molecules for unmet medical needs.

Responsibilities

• Direct antibody and protein engineering efforts, focusing on sequence optimization, affinity maturation, and effector function tuning.
• Implement computational design platforms (e.g., Rosetta, Schrödinger) and machine learning models to predict and enhance biophysical properties like stability and solubility.
• Oversee structural analysis (X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM) to guide rational design and validate molecular modifications.
• Coordinate with discovery teams to define target profiles and with CMC to ensure manufacturability of lead candidates.
• Lead experimental workflows for high-throughput screening and characterization (SPR, BLI, DSC) of engineered proteins.
• Drive integration of novel technologies (e.g., bispecific scaffolds, Fc engineering) into therapeutic pipelines.
• Present data-driven insights at project reviews and external scientific forums.

Qualifications

• PhD in Biochemistry, Structural Biology, or related field.
• 10+ years in antibody/protein engineering within biotech/pharma, with a focus on therapeutic development.
• Proven record of advancing biologics through discovery to preclinical stages (e.g., IND-enabling studies).
• Expert in computational protein design tools (e.g., MOE, PyMOL) and AI-driven optimization algorithms.
• Hands-on experience with biophysical assays (e.g., SEC-MALS, ITC) and protein expression systems (CHO, HEK).
• Deep knowledge of antibody structure-function relationships and post-translational modification impacts.
• Experience managing teams running parallel protein engineering projects.
• Preferred: Familiarity with next-gen modalities (e.g., ADCs, multispecifics) or regulatory filings.