Scientist II, Cell Biology

ThermoFisher Scientific; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Job summary

Thermo Fisher Scientific is seeking an experienced scientist to lead recombinant antibody development and validation within a fast-paced Bengaluru lab. You will design and execute experiments, maintain meticulous records, and stay current with antibody engineering trends while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

The role also emphasizes mentoring junior scientists, driving new methodologies, and improving development workflows to accelerate progress across projects.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree with strong relevant experience in life sciences.
• Hands-on antibody development and immunoassay expertise required.
• Strong documentation and data interpretation skills.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on recombinant antibody development and validation in a fast-paced R&D environment.
• Plan and execute experiments, maintaining accurate lab records and notebooks.
• Mine literature to stay current on antibody engineering trends and technologies.
• Compile and present data in written and oral formats; contribute to team meetings.
• Adhere to schedules and quality standards with attention to detail.
• Develop next-generation methodologies to improve development platforms.
• Lead protocol development and transfer workflows to operations teams.
• Provide informal leadership and mentoring to junior scientists.
• Provide strategic inputs to foster innovation and cross-team collaboration.

Skills

Self-motivated

Excellent communication

Collaborative

Detail-oriented

Analytical thinking

Proactive learner

Education

PhD with up to 3 years post-doctoral experience

Master's degree with 5-8 years research experience

Tools

Molecular Biology

NGS/Sequencing

Bioinformatics

Antibody Engineering

Immunoassay methods

Cell Culture

Protein purification

High-Throughput methods

Automation platforms

Job description

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Laboratory Setting

Job Description

About the Company

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $44 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving analytical challenges, growing efficiency in their laboratories, improving patient health through diagnostics, or developing and manufacturing life-changing therapies, we are here to support them. Our global team delivers an outstanding combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience, and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services, Patheon, and PPD.

About the Team

The Antibody Team is involved in engineering and development of antibodies, with a deep focus on reagent quality and specificity. The core activities of team include design, development, purification, conjugation and testing of antibodies in a variety of immunoassay applications using groundbreaking tools and technologies. The goal of the program is recombinant antibody development and creation of product specific information to promote research use.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on recombinant antibody development and validation in a dynamic, fast-paced R&D environment, ensuring high throughput and quality outputs.

• Plan and execute experiments meticulously, maintaining accurate and timely records in data sheets and laboratory notebooks in compliance with best practices.

• Actively mine the scientific literature and remain current with emerging trends in antibody engineering, molecular biology, and associated fields.

• Compile and present data in both written and oral formats; actively contribute to team meetings and cross-functional discussions.

• Adhere to experimental schedules and quality standards with strong attention to detail and a commitment to quality.

• Develop next-generation methodologies and process improvements to advance and streamline recombinant antibody development and validation platforms.

• Drive protocol conceptualization and development within the team, enabling successful transfer of workflows to operational teams.

• Provide informal leadership, technical supervision, and mentoring to junior scientists—supporting experimental design, data interpretation, and presentation to collaborators and stakeholders.

• Provide strategic inputs and mentorship to foster innovation and cross-team collaboration across the antibody development program.

• Partner with supporting functions—including product management, program management, operations, and business development—to achieve program milestones.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

Applicants should hold a degree in a relevant life sciences discipline (molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, biotechnology, or a related field) at one of the following levels:

• PhD with up to 3 years of post-doctoral experience or

• Master's degree with 5-8 years of confirmed research experience

Technical Skills & Experience

• Molecular Biology: Solid foundation in molecular biology techniques including nucleic acid extraction, PCR, cloning, sequence analysis, and vector design. Experience with next-generation cloning strategies, expression vector construction, codon optimization, and PCR primer design is highly valued. Familiarity with miniaturization strategies for high-throughput gene-to-protein workflows is a plus.

• Sequencing Technologies: Hands-on experience with Sanger sequencing and knowledge of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. Experience with antibody sequencing, single B-cell molecular biology workflows, and/or display technologies is desirable.

• Bioinformatics: Proficiency in bioinformatics tools such as BLAST, pairwise and multiple sequence analysis. Working knowledge of structural biology and protein modeling and visualization tools such as PyMol, Schrödinger, Discovery Studio or other such programs is a plus.

• Protein Science & Antibody Engineering: Practical knowledge of protein purification, antibody engineering, rational design of mutants, and structure-function studies.

• Immunoassay Applications: Demonstrated experience in immunoassay development and application testing, including ELISA, Western Blotting, Flow Cytometry, Immunocytochemistry (ICC), Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP), and Immunohistochemistry (IHC).

• Cell Culture Techniques: Competency in standard mammalian or other specialized cell culture techniques supporting protein expression, antibody production, or related workflows.

• Antibody Development Platforms: Theoretical or practical exposure to antibody development platforms such as hybridoma, single B-cell, display technologies, or other recombinant approaches. Experience leading or contributing to core facilities for molecular biology or sequencing is a plus.

• Conjugation Chemistry: Familiarity with antibody or protein conjugation chemistry is desirable, with hands-on experience considered a strong asset.

• Automation & High-Throughput Methods: Experience with automated liquid handling platforms, high-content imaging or other high-throughput methodologies is advantageous.

• Scientific Communication: Track record of scientific output through peer-reviewed publications, project reports, or thesis work. A strong, independent understanding of standard and emerging trends in the field is highly preferred.

• Data Analysis & Software proficiency: Proficiency in MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and statistical software such as GraphPad Prism, ggplot etc. Strong quantitative reasoning and ability to interpret complex datasets.

• Proficiency in deep learning models and/or knowledge of large language models (LLMs), prompt engineering, and experience in implementing these tools to biological questions is highly desirable.

• Experience with website and/or database design using various platforms such as HTML, JavaScript, ShinyR, PowerApps etc

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate will be:

• Self-motivated and a proactive self-starter with a strong drive for continuous learning and process/product improvement

• An excellent communicator - both written and oral - capable of clearly conveying findings to peers, collaborators, and leadership

• A collaborative team player who works effectively with diverse colleagues across functional and organizational boundaries

• Adaptable and flexible in navigating a fast-paced, evolving research environment with shifting priorities

• Detail-oriented with a commitment to scientific rigor, schedule adherence, and data integrity

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an equal opportunity employer, and we value diversity at our company. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination basis race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, national origin, protected veteran status, age, genetics, pregnancy, disability or any other legally protected status. Thermo Fisher Scientific aligns with all applicable equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction in which it operates. We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits and a company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation.

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.