Principal Medical Scientist (Biopharmaceutical)

ISR RECRUITMENT LIMITED; Oxford; On-site; GBP 94,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

ISR Recruitment is supporting a leading organisation seeking an experienced Principal Scientist in Immunology to lead scientific research supporting the discovery and development of novel biologic therapies for autoimmune diseases.

This is an exciting opportunity for a scientifically driven leader to combine hands‑on research expertise with team leadership, advancing early‑stage discovery programmes and delivering robust preclinical data to support progression towards development.

Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology or closely related discipline; at least five years of relevant research experience.
• Strong expertise in immunology, autoimmune disease pathogenesis and inflammation research.
• Experience in drug discovery and therapeutic development, ideally in pharma/biotech.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and develop a laboratory-based scientific team.
• Design and oversee in vitro pharmacology assays for autoimmune disease mechanisms and antibody discovery.
• Plan and coordinate in vivo efficacy studies with internal teams and CROs.
• Develop endpoint analysis and ex vivo profiling to understand drug mechanisms of action.
• Collaborate with immunology, protein engineering, chemistry, biomarkers and translational medicine teams.
• Identify novel targets and technologies to strengthen the preclinical pipeline.
• Contribute to research reports, INDs, patents, publications and conferences.

Skills

Immunology

Drug discovery

Team leadership

In vivo models

Publications

Education

PhD in Immunology

Job description

Principal Scientist – Inflammation Research

Location: Oxford

Contract: 12 months

Rate: £68.00 to £71.00 per hour / £520 to £532.50 per day (via Umbrella)

The Opportunity

ISR Recruitment is supporting a leading organisation seeking an experienced Principal Scientist in Immunology to lead scientific research supporting the discovery and development of novel biologic therapies for autoimmune diseases.

This is an exciting opportunity for a scientifically driven leader to combine hands‑on research expertise with team leadership, advancing early‑stage discovery programmes and delivering robust preclinical data to support progression towards development.

Role and Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and develop a talented laboratory‑based scientific team.
• Design and oversee rigorous in vitro pharmacology assays to investigate autoimmune disease mechanisms and support therapeutic antibody discovery.
• Plan and coordinate in vivo efficacy studies, working with internal teams and contract research organisations (CROs).
• Develop endpoint analysis and ex vivo profiling to understand drug mechanisms of action.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across immunology, protein engineering, chemistry, biomarkers and translational medicine.
• Identify novel targets, therapeutic approaches and technologies to strengthen the preclinical pipeline.
• Contribute to research reports, IND documentation, patent filings, publications and conference presentations.

Skills and Experience

• PhD in Immunology or a closely related scientific discipline, with at least five years’ relevant research experience.
• Strong expertise in immunology, autoimmune disease pathogenesis and inflammation research.
• Proven experience in drug discovery, target identification and therapeutic development, ideally within the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Broad technical capability across cutting‑edge in vitro and in vivo immunology assays and models.
• Demonstrable scientific leadership, team mentoring and a strong publication record.