CONTRACT SCIENTIST, BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

Planet Pharma; South San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 48,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Pharma is seeking a Contract Scientist, Biophysical Chemistry to join the Large Molecule Discovery – Biophysical Chemistry group in South San Francisco. The role focuses on biophysical characterization of proteins, bioconjugates, and antibody-drug conjugates in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

You will operate SPR, BLI, DSF, SEC, IEX, CE-SDS, and ELISA to characterize hits and leads, maintain instruments, and develop methods while collaborating with discovery and antibody teams.

Qualifications

• BS or MS with 1+ year relevant experience in biotech or pharma.
• Familiarity with biophysical characterization of biologics.
• Hands-on with SEC/DSF/IEX/CE-SDS/SDS-PAGE preferred.

Responsibilities

• Screen and characterize antibodies, ADCs, and related biologics.
• Apply SPR/BLI and ELISA to study interactions and kinetics.
• Maintain instruments, prepare reagents, and document results.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver timely data.

Skills

Biophysical techniques

Data analysis

Documentation

Multi-tasking

Education

BS or MS with 1+ years experience

Tools

SEC

DSF

IEX

CE-SDS

SDS-PAGE

SPR

BLI

ELISA

Job description

Contract Scientist, Biophysical Chemistry

Location: South San Francisco, California

Category: Scientific

Salary: Apply for details

Country: United States

Employment: Contract

Worksite: On-Site

Job Description

Position Summary

The Contract Scientist, Biophysical Chemistry will play a pivotal role in performing biophysical characterization of proteins, bioconjugates, and protein/protein interactions within the Large Molecule Discovery – Biophysical Chemistry group. The scientist in this role will frequently interact with the Biophysical Chemistry, Antibody Discovery, and Bioconjugation team leaders and other scientists in a dynamic, team-oriented environment.

The role will be responsible for maintaining lab instrumentation, ordering and preparing reagents, performing method development for biophysical techniques, screening and characterizing antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) molecules using various biophysical platforms.

Roles And Responsibilities Of The Position

• Work with discovery, bioconjugation and protein engineering teams to support the design and execution of experiments for screening and characterizing biologicals comprised of antibodies, ADCs, and other modalities, created for treatment of several oncological indications
• Apply various analytical and biophysical techniques to provide comprehensive characterization of hits, leads and candidate molecules at various stages of discovery/development
• Use surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and Biolayer Interferometry (BLI) to characterize the kinetics and affinity of antibody/antigen interactions, epitope bins of antibodies, and blocking of receptor ligand interactions by antibodies.
• Support characterization of protein stability, purity and quality using a variety of techniques, such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), static light scattering (SLS), capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF), differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), size exclusion chromatography (SEC), ion exchange chromatography (IEX), CE-SDS, and SDS-PAGE.
• Perform ELISA assays to support antibody discovery efforts.
• Collaborate with other teams across the company to provide biophysical solutions; efficiently analyze, collate, and disseminate data to deliver results to teams in a timely manner consistent with project timelines
• Clearly documenting experiments and results in electronic lab notebook entries
• Participate in periodic updates and team meetings, contributing data and insights that help inform research decisions.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS with 1+ years of relevant work experience (industry, academic, or research setting).
• Foundational understanding of the drug development process for biologics, with exposure to therapeutic antibodies and/or related modalities such as antibody conjugates, bispecifics, or multispecifics (e.g., through coursework, thesis research, or prior work experience).
• Familiarity with biophysical techniques used to characterize the stability, purity, and quality of biologics, such as size exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF), ion exchange chromatography (IEX), CE-SDS, and SDS-PAGE. Hands‑on experience with one or more of these techniques preferred.
• Exposure to techniques for characterizing biomolecular interactions (e.g., SPR, BLI, or ELISA), with the ability to learn and apply other relevant technologies for characterization of high/low affinities, active concentrations, cross‑blocking, heterogeneities, and other product defining characteristics.
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented, with strong analytical, documentation, and multi‑tasking skills.

Additional Preferences

• Experience with any of the following:
• Biacore, Octet, and/or Maurice platforms
• Additional biophysical techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS), static light scattering (SLS), multi‑angle light scattering (MALS), or capillary isoelectric focusing (cIEF)
• Characterizing epitope binning, cross‑blocking, or receptor‑ligand blocking interactions using SPR/BLI
• Laboratory automation for liquid handling and screening
• Spectroscopic techniques for characterization of biomolecules (e.g., UV/fluorescence)
• Data science and visualization software such as R, Spotfire, etc.
• Must have a can‑do attitude to take on challenging projects and to meet project timelines
• Have excellent communication skills and strong organizational abilities

Pay ~$35-40/hr based on experience

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, sex, gender identity or expression, disability, age, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws and regulations. It is our policy not to discriminate against any applicant or employee, and we are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful work environment across all locations in which we operate. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental to our mission and enhance our ability to serve clients globally. If you have a disability or require any reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please inform your recruiter or contact us directly so that we can explore the appropriate arrangements.