Principal Scientist Antibodies

Discover International; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biopharmaceutical company in London is seeking an experienced professional to shape the strategy and execution of antibody discovery and engineering efforts. The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. and over 5 years of experience in antibody engineering and biologics drug discovery, with hands-on capabilities in optimizing antibodies toward clinical candidates. You will drive the discovery campaigns and influence portfolio strategies while effectively communicating progress to stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of industry experience in antibody engineering and biologics drug discovery.
• Hands-on experience progressing antibodies from discovery through optimization toward clinical candidate selection.
• Strong grounding in protein biochemistry, screening, and structural or biophysical characterization.

Responsibilities

• Drive antibody discovery campaigns from immunization and screening through hit-to-lead and lead optimization.
• Lead antibody engineering efforts, including formatting, humanization, affinity maturation, and developability optimization.
• Influence portfolio strategy and prioritization, aligning antibody engineering plans with biological hypotheses and translational goals.

Skills

Antibody engineering

Biologics drug discovery

Protein biochemistry

Structural characterization

Effective communication

Education

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Protein Engineering, or related field

Job description

In this high-impact role, you will shape the strategy and execution of antibody discovery and engineering efforts, guide programs from hit identification through candidate nomination, and lead a cross‑functional project team. You will work at the interface of antibody engineering, targeted delivery, and disease biology, helping to advance a pipeline of differentiated biologics programs.

What You’ll Do

• Drive antibody discovery campaigns from immunization and screening through hit-to-lead and lead optimization.
• Lead antibody engineering efforts, including formatting, humanization, affinity maturation, and developability optimization.
• Design antibodies tailored for targeted delivery in oncology.
• Inform strategies to optimize stability, conjugation suitability, PK/PD profile, and tissue/cell specificity.
• Influence portfolio strategy and prioritization, aligning antibody engineering plans with biological hypotheses and translational goals.
• Communicate program strategy and progress to internal leadership and external partners.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Protein Engineering, or related field.
• 5+ years of industry experience in antibody engineering and biologics drug discovery.
• Hands‑on experience progressing antibodies from discovery through optimization toward clinical candidate selection.
• Strong grounding in protein biochemistry, screening, and structural or biophysical characterization.
• Ability to effectively communicate to internal and external stakeholders is a must.