Director, AI-Enabled Protein Engineering & Biologics

Absci Corp.; Vancouver (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Absci Corp. in the United States is seeking an Associate Director of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology to lead a top-tier team at the intersection of antibody engineering, structural biology, and AI-enabled biologics discovery.

You will mentor PhD-level scientists, drive collaboration with AI and translational biology teams, and guide platforms for mAb and multispecific therapeutics from design through production and assessment.

Qualifications

• PhD in life sciences with 8+ years of experience (including 5+ years in biopharma or biotech) or MS with equivalent experience.
• Proficiency in protein structure–function analysis and computational modeling (e.g., Schrödinger, MOE, Rosetta).
• Deep understanding of antibody structure–function relationships, sequence optimization, and expression/purification workflows.
• Experience in binding and interaction analyses (e.g., BLI, SPR) and biophysical characterization techniques (e.g., SEC, DSF, DLS).
• Familiarity with Fc engineering, half-life extension strategies, developability, and immunogenicity assessment.
• Experience deploying AI/ML models for protein sequence/structure analysis to enable biologics design.
• Demonstrated success progressing biologics programs to lead candidate stage.
• Experience managing teams of PhD-level scientists and research associates.
• Track record of peer-reviewed publications and/or patent filings.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multidisciplinary team focused on antibody engineering, structural biology, and binding characterization across multiple programs.
• Mentor scientists and research associates, supporting technical development and career growth.
• Partner with the AI team to align experimental and computational strategies for de novo design and lead optimization.
• Serve as the protein engineering lead on cross-functional project teams and coordinate experiments; manage timelines and resources.
• Regularly summarize and present data to internal and external stakeholders to inform decisions.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies and the competitive landscape in biologics discovery.

Skills

Protein engineering

Structural biology

Leadership/people management

Biophysics/assay analysis

AI/ML in protein design

cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Antibody engineering

Education

PhD in life sciences

MS with equivalent experience

Tools

Schrödinger

MOE

Rosetta

Job description

Absci Corp. in the United States is seeking an Associate Director of Protein Engineering and Structural Biology to lead a top-tier team at the intersection of antibody engineering, structural biology, and AI-enabled biologics discovery.

You will mentor PhD-level scientists, drive collaboration with AI and translational biology teams, and guide platforms for mAb and multispecific therapeutics from design through production and assessment.