Scientific Director - Biotherapeutics

Syngene International Limited; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 4,500,000 - 5,900,000; Full time

Job summary

Syngene International Ltd. seeks an experienced Scientific Director of Protein, Structural & Analytical Sciences to lead protein production, purification, and analytics for early biotherapeutic discovery. You will oversee three sub-teams and drive strategy and capacity planning with senior leaders.

The role emphasizes people management, cross-functional collaboration, and compliance with safety, ELN, and regulatory standards while guiding tox-batch material development and transfer to CMC teams.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, bioengineering, or related field.
• 15+ years in biopharma protein-sciences with leadership experience.
• 5+ years managing multidisciplinary scientific teams.
• Experience across protein engineering, expression, purification, and analytics.
• Experience with IND-enabling/GLP tox studies and CMC transition.
• Knowledge of GLP/GMP-adjacent documentation and batch records.

Responsibilities

• Set and execute BBRC Protein Sciences strategy, ensuring reliable research- and tox-grade biologic supply.
• Manage space, capital, and resources across all three sub-teams.
• Lead across Protein Engineering, US Protein Sciences, PCO, NCS, and Biologics Development–CMC to advance candidates.
• Own KPIs for delivery, yield, purity, endotoxin, and turnaround time.
• Oversee three integrated sub-teams: Upstream Production, Downstream Purification, and Protein Analytics & Characterization.
• Lead Protein Analytics and set assay, qualification, and release standards for research and tox material.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop talent; drive high-performance culture.

Skills

Leadership

People management

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Ph.D. in biochemistry/molecular biology/protein engineering

Tools

SEC-MALS

DLS

AUC

LC-MS

ELISA

SDS-PAGE

BLI

SPR

Job description

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Designation: Scientific Director - Protein, Structural & Analytical Sciences

Department: Lead Discovery Optimization (LDO)

Incorporated in 1993, Syngene International Ltd. is an innovation-focused global discovery, development and manufacturing organization providing integrated scientific services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, nutrition, animal health, consumer goods and specialty chemical industries around the world. Syngene’ s clientele includes world leaders such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Baxter, Amgen, GSK, Merck KGaA and Herbalife. Its innovative culture is driven by the passion of its 4240- strong team of scientists who work with clients from around the world to solve their scientific problems, improve R&D productivity, speed up time to market and lower the cost of innovation.

Job Purpose:

BBRC seeks an experienced Scientific Director of Protein, Structural and Analytical Sciences to lead protein production, purification, and analytics for early biotherapeutic discovery. As a people manager and scientific leader, this individual will oversee three integrated sub-teams: Upstream Mammalian Protein Production, Downstream Protein Purification, and Protein Analytics & Characterization..

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic & Operational Leadership:
• Set and execute BBRC Protein Sciences strategy, ensuring reliable research- and tox-grade biologic supply.
• Manage space, capital, and resources across all three sub-teams.
• Partner across Protein Engineering, US Protein Sciences, PCO, NCS, and Biologics Development–CMC to advance candidates and deliver material to NCS.
• Own KPIs for delivery, yield, purity, endotoxin, and turnaround time.
• Represent BBRC Protein Sciences across Discovery Biotherapeutics and Biologics Development.
• Adopt technologies that increase scale, speed, and tox-batch consistency.
• Ensure safety, ELN, EHS, regulatory, and ethical compliance.
• Manage cross-functional relationships and capacity planning.
• Discovery Toxicology Batch Material Production:
• Co-lead discovery tox batch production with US Protein Sciences, including capacity and scheduling, to deliver quality material on time.
• Apply BMS tox-batch quality standards for purity, aggregation, endotoxin, sterility/bioburden, identity, and potency.
• Maintain batch records and characterization packages for safety teams and regulatory reports.
• Archive tox-batch reference standards and retain samples per policy and regulatory expectations.
• Optimize BMS mammalian expression systems for medium- to tox-scale production.
• Optimize constructs and transfection protocols for high-yield, high-quality research tox material.
• Scale upstream processes to 1–200 L for 0.5–100 g tox campaigns.
• Oversee reproducible fed-batch and perfusion tox runs.
• Maintain documented cell banks and master stocks for all expression systems.
• Lead downstream purification to deliver quality research and tox material on time.
• Develop and optimize multi-step chromatography workflows.
• Purify complex biologic formats at tox-relevant scale.
• Use AnSEC, SDS-PAGE, and endotoxin testing to monitor purification.
• Ensure validated endotoxin control and compliant release specifications.
• Document expression, purification, and analytical data in BMS systems and ELNs.
• Oversee concentration, buffer exchange, formulation, and sterile filtration for tox material.
• Manage scale-up and technology transfer with reproducible processes and complete batch records.
• Maintain the CMC purification toolbox and adopt technologies that improve tox-campaign throughput.
• Lead Protein Analytics and set assay, qualification, and release standards for research and tox material.
• Direct biophysical and biochemical characterization of candidates tox batches, including:
• SEC-MALS, DLS, AUC — size and aggregation
• DSF, nanoDSF, DSC — thermal stability
• LC-MS and peptide mapping — identity and PTMs, including glycans
• SDS-PAGE, CE-SDS, iCIEF — purity and charge variants
• BLI and SPR — binding kinetics and affinity
• ELISA and cell-based assays — tox-batch potency
• Enforce tox-batch release criteria before in vivo use.
• Maintain CoAs and analytical summaries covering identity, purity, potency, endotoxin, and freeze/thaw stability.
• Partner with PCO-DPAS on developability assessments to de-risk candidates before tox.
• Implement and qualify new analytical platforms with Operations and IT.
• People Management Responsibilities:
• Recruit and onboard talent aligned with pipeline and tox-supply needs.
• Lead performance management, goals, reviews, and development planning.
• Coach teams build capability and scientific rigor.
• Foster a high-performance culture of rigor, safety, innovation, and improvement.
• Address resource, capability, and succession risks, including tox-campaign surges.
• Champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in hiring and team culture.

Educational Qualification:

Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, bioengineering, or related field.

Experience:

15+ years

Technical/functional Skills:

Required:

• Ph.D. in biochemistry, molecular biology, protein engineering, bioengineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of relevant biopharma protein-sciences experience.
• 5+ years managing multidisciplinary scientific teams.
• Expertise across protein engineering, expression, purification, and analytics.
• Accountability for discovery/preclinical protein batches supporting in vivo toxicology, including quality, documentation, and release testing.
• Protein-production scale-up from 50 mg to 100 g for rapid tox supply.
• Track record delivering quality proteins across diverse biologic modalities.
• Strong communication and influence with senior leaders.

Preferred:

• Experience with antibody-discovery platforms.
• Familiarity with IND-enabling/GLP tox studies and CMC transition.
• Knowledge of GLP/GMP-adjacent documentation, batch records, and CoAs.
• Experience with ADCs, multispecifics, or emerging tox-stage biologics.
• Protein-science publications, patents, or invention disclosures.

Behavioral Skills:

Strong problem-solving and data analysis skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, good presentation skills, and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously and meet aggressive project timelines. Must demonstrate integrity and take accountability for their work

Equal Opportunity Employer:

It is the policy of Syngene to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable legislation or local law. In addition, Syngene will provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities.