Director, Protein Science

Alloy Therapeutics, Inc.; Waltham (MA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited PTO

Continuing education stipend

Wellness program

Job summary

Alloy Therapeutics in Waltham, MA seeks a Director of Protein Science to lead high‑throughput mammalian protein production and mg-scale expression for therapeutic programs. You will guide antibody building blocks into multispecific formats for a diverse partner base, from large pharma to academia.

You will partner with discovery, analytics and pharmacology teams, supervise project timelines, and present updates to stakeholders. Strong leadership and communication are essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or MS with substantial industry experience in antibody/protein engineering.
• Leads protein expression, purification and characterization for drug discovery.
• Hands-on recombinant mammalian protein expression experience.
• Experience with complex purification for bi-/ multispecific antibodies.
• Strong communication and leadership abilities.
• Willingness to coordinate across time zones and travel up to 10%.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a team of protein scientists.
• Own molecular biology, antibody expression, purification and QC workflows.
• Engage customers to articulate multispecific production strategies.
• Deliver high-throughput antibody production on time.
• Drive major decisions, balance tradeoffs and resolve technical issues.
• Lead process improvement across the antibody-powered division.
• Ensure rigorous data capture in ELN/LIMS systems.
• Introduce innovative solutions to enhance competitiveness.

Skills

Protein expression

Team leadership

Project leadership

Communication

Mammalian systems

Purification techniques

Cross-functional collab

Budget management

Education

PhD in Biochemistry

MS in Biology

Tools

ELN/LIMS

Job description

Role Location: Waltham, MA

The Company

We are Alloy Therapeutics — a biotechnology ecosystem and Product Development Organization (PDO) empowering the global scientific community to make better medicines together. Through a community of partners, we democratize access to pre-competitive tools, technologies, services, and company creation capabilities that are foundational for discovering and developing therapeutic biologics. The company facilitates affordable, non-exclusive access to the entire drug discovery community from academic scientists, small and medium biotech, to the largest biopharma. At Alloy, we believe our industry should compete on getting the best drugs to patients as quickly as possible, not exclusive access to the best platforms. As a reflection of our relentless commitment to the scientific community, we reinvest 100% of our revenue in innovation and access to innovation. May the Best Drug Win.

Alloy has evolved from a startup into a global product development organization operating 11 divisions across 5 research sites in 4 countries on 3 continents. Our model - Integrated Independence - combines centralized capabilities with entrepreneurial operating divisions. Successful members thrive in our shared culture of accountability, deliberate trust, and open communication. As a team we aspire to work together to exceed expectations and collectively contribute across the global organization to always maintain our nimble, startup culture.

At Alloy, we have an ethos of "Mentorship-By-Apprenticeship" in all of our positions. We strive to have workers in the office when needed to interact organically and face-to-face. Of course, as a lab-based operation, our cells and animals grow 7 days a week, 365 days per year. We respect and value our colleagues for their hard work that requires them to be in the lab every day. We ask our people who have more flexible accommodations to appreciate their colleagues who have less flexibility. We are all one team!

About The Role At Alloy Therapeutics

As Director of Protein Science, you will lead a team responsible for high-throughput mammalian protein production and mg-scale expression in support of therapeutic programs. In this role you will leverage antibody building blocks to create multi-specific antibody formats that custom fit the needs of our mechanistically-diverse partner base, from large pharma companies to emerging biotech companies and academic collaborators.

You will work closely with the discovery, analytics and pharmacology teams to review data in real time and make the necessary scientific adjustments to ensure a successful campaign. In addition, you will serve as a project leader overseeing the on-time completion of project activities, accomplishing shared objectives, and meeting rigorous partner timelines.

Strong communication skills are essential for this role, as you will interact with a diverse group of stakeholders both within and outside the company. You will also be accountable for high-quality partner communication throughout the project life cycles, including drafting research proposals, updating project status and timelines, and presenting final deliveries. In parallel, you will provide regular project updates and presentations to internal stakeholders to ensure alignment with project goals and timelines and addressing any potential issues or concerns promptly.

This role will report directly to the site head Antibody-Powered Division Waltham, MA, with autonomy owning various stakeholders, projects, and tasks in a dynamic start-up environment while keeping up the pace of Alloy.

How You’ll Drive Impact

• Drive: Scientific direction and execution of monoclonal discovery and multispecific engineering campaigns
• Innovate: Ensure the application of cutting-edge technologies and methodologies in protein expression
• Collaborate: Integrate protein engineering and cutting-edge efforts efficiently into product offerings and engage with external collaborators in discovery of biologics
• Deliver: Efficient execution of partner projects balancing quality, timelines, and costs, while ensuring successful completion of therapeutic discovery that meet our partners’ objectives
• Lead: Marshal, inspire, and mentor a cross-functional team of scientists. Lead by example by going the extra mile to ensure we are successful delivering on projects
• Communicate: Communicate effectively with key stakeholders externally and internally, fostering productive interactions both upward and downward, and across teams at different sites.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and grow a team of protein scientists
• Own molecular biology, antibody expression, purification, and quality control workflows
• Engage prospective customers to articulate multispecific antibody production strategies
• Deliver high-throughput and mg-scale antibody production runs successfully and on time
• Drive major decisions, balance tradeoffs and resolve technical issues with projects
• Lead process improvement initiatives across the antibody-powered division
• Ensure rigorous data capture in ELN/LIMS systems
• Bring innovative scientific and technological solutions to increase business competitiveness of bispecific service offerings

Qualifications

• You have a PhD in a relevant scientific field (e.g. Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, etc) with a minimum of 8 years of industry experience in antibody or protein engineering, or a master’s degree with 12+ years of relevant industry experience.
• You have a track record leading protein expression, purification, and characterization functions supporting drug discovery
• You have hands‑on depth in recombinant mammalian protein expression systems
• You have broad and deep experience with complex purification techniques and process/method development for bi- and multi-specific antibodies
• You have a proven track record of successful execution and delivery of projects within scope, budget, and timeline
• You have demonstrated the ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities and deadlines
• You have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate with stakeholders at all levels
• You have excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and mentor team members
• Ability to work across various US and international time zones.
• Accommodate occasional travel as needed (10%)

Taking Care of Our People

We support the individuality of what people need to do outside of work to empower them to do their best at work. While you focus on making better medicine together, we focus on programs and benefits that support a diverse and growing team. Whether you’re single, in a growing family, or nearing retirement, Alloy offers a variety of comprehensive and competitive benefits starting from day one.

Compensation

• Competitive base and equity compensation commensurate with level of experience and independence
• 401(k) company match

Health & Family

• Generous personal and family medical, dental and vision benefits with 100% of premiums and deductibles covered
• Company-paid disability (STD, LTD) and life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Family planning support up to $45,000 (e.g., IVF/PGT, adoption, surrogacy, egg retrieval)

Unique Perks

• Unlimited PTO (paid time off) and flexible schedules
• Annual stipend for continuing education with commitment to your career through individualized professional development plan
• Wellness and Extensive Employee Assistance Program (EAP) including resources for mental wellness

Pay Transparency

At Alloy Therapeutics, we believe in fostering trust and open communication. For this role, the estimated range is $170,000 - $200,000, with the final offer based on factors like your experience, skills, and alignment with our needs. Additionally, this role is eligible for equity compensation, reflecting our commitment to shared success as we work together to make better medicines. We are proud to offer competitive compensation and benefits, aiming to support our team’s professional and personal well-being. If you have any questions about pay or benefits, we’re here to help.

Alloy Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. If you are unable to submit an application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at [e-mail]. We will make every effort to respond to your request for disability assistance as soon as possible.