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.
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