Principal Scientist - Protein Mass Spectrometry

GlaxoSmithKline; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare and wellbeing programmes

Pension plan membership

Shares and savings programme

Hybrid working model

Job summary

GlaxoSmithKline is seeking a protein mass spectrometry expert for the Extended Characterisation Europe team in Analytical Development. This predominantly laboratory role interfaces with discovery and CMC, generating insights to guide biotherapeutic decisions and process development.

You will develop MS workflows, troubleshoot analyses, and communicate conclusions while upholding data integrity, safety, and documentation standards.

Qualifications

• PhD, MSc or equivalent in analytical science with application to biopharmaceuticals or therapeutics.
• Hands-on experience setting up, running and troubleshooting mass spectrometry (Orbitrap and/or Q-TOF).
• Experience of LC-MS or LC-MS/MS for protein/therapeutic characterisation.
• Knowledge of protein biochemistry and relationship between structure and quality attributes.
• Ability to plan experiments and independently analyse complex data.
• Strong technical communication, documentation and data integrity.

Responsibilities

• Analytical characterisation of biotherapeutics using MS and chromatography.
• Develop, optimise and troubleshoot analytical methods for PTMs and QC attributes.
• Plan and deliver high‑quality experimental work and communicate clear conclusions.
• Collaborate across Discovery and CMC Development and contribute to reports and regulatory documentation.
• Maintain data integrity and safe laboratory practices.

Skills

Mass spectrometry

LC–MS

Protein biochemistry

Data integrity

Technical communication

Education

PhD or MSc in analytical science

Tools

Orbitrap

Q-TOF

LC-MS/MS

Chromatography

Job description

Join the Extended Characterisation Europe team within Analytical Development and use your protein mass spectrometry expertise to help progress early-phase biopharmaceutical projects. This predominantly laboratory-based role sits at the interface of research and medicine development, generating analytical understanding that supports critical decisions on biotherapeutics, process development and product quality. You will work in a high-performing scientific environment with exposure to multiple modalities and analytical technologies. This role offers the opportunity to deepen your protein characterisation expertise while collaborating across Discovery and CMC Development to help turn promising molecules into medicines. We create a place where people can grow, be their best, be safe, and feel welcome, valued and included. We offer a competitive salary, an annual bonus based on company performance, healthcare and wellbeing programmes, pension plan membership, and shares and savings programme. We embrace modern work practises; our Performance with Choice programme offers a hybrid working model, empowering you to find the optimal balance between remote and in-office work. Discover more about our company wide benefits and life at GSK on our webpage Life at GSK | GSK

In this role you will Perform analytical characterisation of biotherapeutics using mass spectrometry and chromatography techniques to generate knowledge and enable project decisions. Develop, optimise and troubleshoot analytical methods, including workflows used to identify post‑translational modifications and critical quality attributes. Support early‑phase portfolio progression through activities such as technology transfer, forced‑degradation studies and analytical strategy delivery. Plan and deliver high‑quality experimental work, independently analyse complex data and communicate clear scientific conclusions. Collaborate across matrix teams in Discovery and CMC Development, contributing technical insight, reports and regulatory documentation. Maintain high standards of data integrity, scientific rigour, laboratory safety and effective documentation.

Basic Qualifications & Skills

• PhD, MSc or equivalent experience in analytical science, biochemistry, chemistry or a related field, with application to biopharmaceuticals or other therapeutics.
• Strong hands‑on experience setting up, running and troubleshooting mass spectrometry, including Orbitrap and/or Q‑TOF platforms.
• Experience of LC‑MS or LC‑MS/MS and analytical chromatography for protein or therapeutic characterisation.
• Knowledge of protein biochemistry and the relationship between molecular structure, function and critical quality attributes.
• Ability to plan experiments and independently analyse, interpret and draw conclusions from complex analytical data.
• Effective technical communication, organisation and matrix‑working skills, with commitment to data integrity, documentation and safe laboratory practice.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Knowledge of protein glycosylation and analytical workflows for N‑linked glycan analysis.
• Experience in advanced MS workflows such as host‑cell protein, sequence variant or glycopeptide analysis, or complex and emerging modalities.
• Experience with Protein Metrics, automated data‑processing pipelines, data standards or digital MS workflows.
• Experience with data visualisation, statistics or programming tools such as Spotfire, Power BI, JMP, SIMCA, SQL, Python or R.
• Experience of liquid‑handling automation, QbD approaches or control‑strategy development.
• Adaptability across scientific areas, shared instrumentation and multiple therapeutic modalities.

Location

For candidates seeking to be located at our Stevenage site, this role will temporarily be based at Stevenage. However, the Company plans to relocate its offices to Ware. The location of this role will therefore subsequently change to Ware in accordance with timelines to be set by the Company. The relocation is currently proposed to take effect by early 2029.

Closing Date for Applications

13th October 2026 (COB)

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. Our R&D focuses on discovering and delivering vaccines and medicines, combining our understanding of the immune system with cutting‑edge technology to transform people’s lives. GSK fosters a culture ambitious for patients, accountable for impact, and committed to doing the right thing, making sure that we focus our efforts on accelerating significant assets that meet patients’ needs and have the highest probability of success. We’re uniting science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Our approach to R&D. Skills Biopharmaceuticals, Bioprocessing, Cell Line Development, Chromatographic Analysis, Drug Development, Experimental Methods, Mass Spectrometry (MS), Method Development, Molecular Cell Biology, Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Protein Biochemistry, Protein Characterization, Quality by Design, Regulatory Submissions, Simulation Models, Technical Writing, Technology Transfer

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together. We aim to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade, as a successful, growing company where people can thrive. We get ahead of disease by preventing and treating it with innovation in specialty medicines and vaccines. We focus on four therapeutic areas: respiratory, immunology and inflammation; oncology; HIV; and infectious diseases – to impact health at scale. People and patients around the world count on the medicines and vaccines we make, so we’re committed to creating an environment where our people can thrive and focus on what matters most. Our culture of being ambitious for patients, accountable for impact and doing the right thing is the foundation for how, together, we deliver for patients, shareholders and our people.

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.

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We are a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. Getting ahead means prevention disease as well as treatment and we aim to impact health of 2.5 billion people around the world in the next 10 years. Our success absolutely depends on our people.