AI-Driven Protein Design Lead — Senior Scientist

Xaira Therapeutics, Inc.; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 164,000 - 205,000; Full time

Job summary

Xaira Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead AI-driven protein engineering for the design and development of therapeutic proteins and antibodies.

You will integrate experimental work with computational design, guide strategy, and mentor junior staff in a fast-paced startup environment. The role combines hands-on protein engineering with strategic leadership, requiring deep knowledge of antibody formats, developability, and robust collaboration with computational designers to

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, structural biology, or a related field.
• At least 6 years of industry experience in biotech or biopharma R&D for large-molecule programs.
• Hands-on protein engineering with structural/functional characterization.
• Deep antibody formats, production, purification, and developability experience.
• Familiarity with developability assessments and stability studies.
• Experience with structure prediction or ML tools for protein design preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define scientific strategy for therapeutic programs with cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with computational designers to integrate design insights.
• Lead binder discovery campaigns and prioritize screening strategies.
• Develop strategies to optimize affinity, specificity, and developability.
• Serve as scientific lead in cross-functional program meetings.

Skills

Scientific leadership

Mentoring

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Ph.D. in relevant discipline

Tools

PyMOL

AlphaFold

Job description

Xaira Therapeutics, Inc. is seeking a Principal Scientist to lead AI-driven protein engineering for the design and development of therapeutic proteins and antibodies.

You will integrate experimental work with computational design, guide strategy, and mentor junior staff in a fast-paced startup environment. The role combines hands-on protein engineering with strategic leadership, requiring deep knowledge of antibody formats, developability, and robust collaboration with computational designers to