Associate Scientist II, Immunoassay Development

Vaxcyte; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 105,000 - 123,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity component

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Vaxcyte, a clinical-stage vaccine company based in the SF Bay Area, seeks an Associate Scientist II, Immunoassay Development. You will lead development, qualification and lifecycle management of reagents and reference materials supporting immunoassays across the vaccine pipeline.

You will work with scientists and lab leaders to execute immunoassays, develop fit-for-purpose methods, troubleshoot studies, and maintain high-quality documentation and data integrity.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with immunoassays, ligand-binding assays, or related workflows.
• Ability to follow protocols, document work accurately, and communicate observations clearly.
• Strong attention to detail, safety, data integrity and scientific excellence.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on assay execution to support immunoassay development and related activities.
• Engage in laboratory operations: reagent prep, sample handling, plate/bead prep, instrument operation, data capture.
• Execute immunoassays for potency, antigenicity, identity, impurity, and stability needs.
• Support ELISA, MSD, bead-based, multiplex, electrochemiluminescence and other binding assays.
• Prepare reagents, buffers, samples, plates, beads, controls and reference materials.
• Summarize assay data: standard curves, dilution series, recovery, precision, system suitability.
• Assist with troubleshooting, data organization, and communication of findings to teams.
• Support reagent/reference material activities, inventory, lot comparison and qualification testing.
• Maintain accurate ELN entries and lab documentation; ensure safety and compliance.

Skills

Immunoassay development

ELISA

MSD

Bead-based assays

Ligand-binding assays

Data analysis

Laboratory documentation

Education

BS in Biochemistry/Immunology/Analytical Chemistry

MS in related discipline

Tools

ELN

ELISA Plate Reader

MSD instrument

Job description

Join our Mission to Protect Humankind!

Vaxcyte is a clinical-stage vaccine innovation company engineering high-fidelity vaccines to protect humankind from the consequences of bacterial diseases, which have serious and costly health consequences when left unchecked. Working to eradicate or treat bacterial infections such as invasive pneumococcal disease, Group A Strep, and Shigella is just the beginning. Our path to success is clear and well-defined, and Vaxcyte is set up to go the distance.

WHAT we do is every bit as important as HOW we do it!Our work together is guided by four enduring core values:

• RETHINK CONVENTION: We bring creative and intellectual diversity to every facet of the work we do in order to innovate and re-innovate the way vaccines are delivered.
• AIM HIGH: We embody our collectively audacious goal to courageously make the most complex biologics ever attempted to protect humankind.
• LEAD WITH HEART: Everyone leads at Vaxcyte with a kindness-first, inclusive approach to collaboration and vigorous debate that advances our business objectives.
• MODEL EXCELLENCE: The magnitude of our challenge requires our shared commitment to demonstrating integrity, accountability, equality and clarity across communications and decision making.

Summary:

Vaxcyte is seeking an accomplished Associate Scientist II, Immunoassay Development to join the CMC Immunoassay group. This role will provide scientific and strategic leadership for the development, qualification, characterization, governance, and lifecycle management of critical reagents and reference materials that support immunoassays across Vaxcyte's vaccine pipeline.

The Associate Scientist will work closely with scientists, senior scientists, and laboratory leaders to execute immunoassays, support fit-for-purpose method development, assist with troubleshooting studies, and contribute to high-quality laboratory documentation and data integrity.

Essential Functions:

• Perform hands-on assay execution to support immunoassay development, optimization, platform evaluation, routine testing, method transfer support, and under direct supervision, validation readiness, and lifecycle activities.
• Engage daily in laboratory operations, including reagent preparation, sample handling, plate or bead preparation, instrument operation, assay setup, data capture, documentation, and laboratory organization.
• Execute immunoassays supporting potency, antigenicity, identity, impurity, characterization, comparability, release, stability, and development-stage analytical needs.
• Support experiments using ELISA, MSD, bead-based assays, multiplex assays, electrochemiluminescence-based assays, or other ligand-binding assay formats.
• Prepare reagents, buffers, samples, plates, beads, assay controls, reference materials, and other materials required for immunoassay testing.
• Generate and summarize assay data, including standard curves, sample response, dilution response, recovery, precision, assay controls, and system suitability results.
• Under direction of a Scientist or Sr. Scientist, support troubleshooting studies by executing experiments, documenting observations, organizing data, and communicating findings to scientists and project leads.
• Support critical reagent and reference material activities, including aliquoting, labeling, inventory tracking, reagent screening, lot comparison, stability study support, and qualification-support testing.
• Maintain accurate and timely laboratory documentation, including ELN entries, assay worksheets, reagent records, sample records, and data summaries.
• Support laboratory readiness, including consumable tracking, instrument use coordination, sample tracking, safety compliance, and good laboratory practices.

Requirements:

• BS. in Biochemistry, Immunology, Analytical Chemistry, Biological Sciences, or a related discipline with a minimum of 2 years of relevant biopharmaceutical industry laboratory experience; or M.S. in a related discipline with minimum 1 year of relevant biopharmaceutical industry laboratory experience.
• Hands-on laboratory experience with immunoassays, ligand-binding assays, analytical testing, bioanalytical testing, or related biological assay workflows.
• Experience with assay execution, reagent preparation, sample preparation, plate-based or bead-based assay setup, instrument operation, data analysis, assay controls, and documentation.
• Familiarity with immunoassay platforms such as ELISA, MSD, electrochemiluminescence-based assays, bead-based assays, multiplex assays, or other ligand-binding assay technologies.
• Ability to follow protocols, execute experiments carefully, document work accurately, and communicate observations clearly.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to laboratory safety, data integrity, documentation quality, and scientific excellence.
• Ability to manage multiple laboratory tasks, samples, reagents, and timelines in a fast-paced environment.

Reports to: Director, Immunoassay Development

Work Arrangement (may be adjusted based on business needs, job responsibilities, or changes to company policy):

Onsite (minimum of 4 days per week onsite)

Compensation:

The compensation package will be competitive and includes comprehensive benefits and an equity component.

Salary Range:

$105,000 - $123,000 (SF Bay Area).

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Vaxcyte’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.