Scientist/Senior Scientist, Drug Discovery

Nucleome; Oxford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is seeking a Senior Scientist to join their drug discovery team. This role involves leveraging advanced genomics technologies to develop antibody therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. The ideal candidate will design and execute assays, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and utilize their expertise in flow cytometry and cellular pharmacology to advance drug targets. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research and work alongside leading experts in the field. If you are passionate about immunology and drug discovery, this role is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in immunology or relevant field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Extensive experience assessing antibody functions in primary human immune cells.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute assays for antibody screening and evaluation.
• Perform multiparameter flow cytometry and analyze complex panels.

Skills

Antibody Characterization

Flow Cytometry

Cellular Pharmacology

Data Analysis (FlowJo, GraphPad Prism)

Immunology Knowledge

Education

MSc in Immunology

PhD in Immunology

Tools

FlowJo

GraphPad Prism

Job description

Nucleome Therapeutics is utilizing breakthrough genomics technologies to develop first-in-class antibody therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. Their approach relies solely on human disease genetics and biology, enabling the revelation of molecular disease mechanisms and the selection of drug targets through human genetic variants in the non-coding genome that influence gene expression. The company's proprietary 3D genomics combines laboratory and machine learning technologies applicable to any set of disease-associated variants. Founded by leading gene regulation experts from the University of Oxford and backed by top-tier life science investors, Nucleome is at the forefront of genomics-driven drug discovery.

Overview of the role:

The drug discovery team seeks a talented Senior Scientist with expertise in antibody characterization and analysis using primary immune cells. This role supports the pipeline of drug targets emerging from Nucleome's proprietary platform. It involves designing, developing, and executing assays for antibody screening, evaluation, target validation, and mechanism of action studies to advance multiple early-stage asset programs. Collaboration with experienced scientists across cross-functional teams is essential, with responsibilities including study delivery and regular presentation of findings.

Key responsibilities:

1. Support multiple asset programs by designing, optimizing, and executing assays to evaluate antibody functions in primary immune cells, utilizing principles of cellular pharmacology (including Fc formats, ADCC/P, Kd, SPR, binding kinetics, antagonism, and agonism).
   
   Use cellular immunology knowledge to design mechanism of action studies, interpret results, and suggest next steps, ensuring timely data submission and analysis using appropriate software.
2. Perform multiparameter flow cytometry, including designing and analyzing complex panels for surface and intracellular proteins, troubleshooting cytometers, and training colleagues. Use FlowJo for data analysis and advise on best practices.
3. Collaborate within and across teams in drug discovery, functional genomics, and computational biology. Take responsibility for study delivery, providing updates, highlighting risks, and contributing to decision-making regarding targets and drug candidates.
4. Ensure compliance with safety policies for biological and chemical agents, proactively suggesting workflow improvements.

Experience:

• MSc or PhD in immunology or relevant field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Extensive experience assessing antibody functions in primary human immune cells.
• Proficiency in immune cell phenotyping, functional assays (especially Tregs), and multi-parameter flow cytometry.
• Experience with ELISA, multiplex systems, cytokine profiling, and fluorescence assays.
• Data analysis and visualization using FlowJo and GraphPad Prism.

Skills and behaviors:

• Strong communication skills for effective cross-disciplinary collaboration and reporting.
• Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills to support projects.

Preferred experience:

• Industry experience in drug discovery.
• Live cell fluorescent imaging experience (e.g., Incucyte).
• Transcriptomic or proteomic analysis experience.
• R programming for data analysis and visualization.
• Research outputs such as presentations, publications, or patents.