Principal Associate Scientist-Scientist-Immunology

Prellis Biologics, Inc; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Prellis Biologics in Berkeley, CA is seeking an Principal Associate Scientist / Scientist - Immunology (Donor Biology) to advance our ex vivo immune system platform. You will collaborate across disciplines to develop lymph node organoids, design and run in vitro assays, and contribute to donor-based immune process development and antibody biomolecular engineering.

The role involves hands-on lab work (60-80%), data-rich analyses of immunology datasets (B/T cells, mRNA, BCR/TCR), and close work

Qualifications

• PhD with 1+ years in industry or postdoc experience.
• MSc with 4+ years industry experience.
• Deep knowledge of adaptive immunology.
• Experience with antibody discovery workflows.
• Extensive flow cytometry experience.
• Proficiency in isolating and culturing primary cells.

Responsibilities

• Analyze donor biology and immunology data to guide ex vivo system.
• Design and execute in vitro assays and assess antibody responses.
• Lead donor blood procurement, inventory, and data collection.
• Characterize immune cell responses with novel techniques.
• Collaborate across teams on donor selection and system development.
• Be hands-on in the lab 60-80% of the time.

Skills

Adaptive immunology

B and T cell biology

Data analysis

Experimental design

Flow cytometry

Primary cell culture

In vitro assay development

Education

PhD in immunology or related field

MSc in immunology or related field

Tools

FlowJo

GraphPad Prism

Job description

Principal Associate Scientist / Scientist - Immunology (Donor Biology)

Company Overview

Prellis Biologics is a dynamic startup revolutionizing immunology. We develop cutting‑edge technologies to unlock the immune system's potential and drive innovation in therapeutic development.

Position Overview

We're seeking an enthusiastic and talented immunologist to play a pivotal role in advancing our groundbreaking ex vivo immune system platform. You'll collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team to develop innovative lymph node organoids, design and execute impactful in vitro assays, and contribute your expertise to in vitro immune process development and antigen/antibody biomolecular engineering.

Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively across teams to illuminate the role of human blood donor biology on the responsiveness in Prellis’ ex vivo immunization system
• Independently analyze and evaluate data including but not limited to immunological population dynamics, mRNA seq data, BCR sequence data, TCR sequence data, as well as monoclonal antibody characteristics to identify human blood donors with high potential of success in Prellis’ ex vivo immunization system.
• Lead human donor blood purchasing, inventory, experimental assignment, and data collection efforts.
• Establish and employ novel techniques to characterize immune cell responses.
• Leverage your knowledge in immunology, cell biology, and molecular biology to contribute intellectually to the development of ex vivo immune processes, antibody responses and to facilitate donor selection.
• Support ex vivo cell culture workflows on occasion.
• Be hands‑on in the lab (60‑80% of the time) and thrive in a fast‑paced environment.

Qualifications

• PhD in immunology, cell biology, or a closely related field with 1+ years of relevant industry and/or postdoc experience. MSc in immunology, cell biology, or a closely related field with 4+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Deep knowledge of adaptive immunology, in particular B and T cell biology and cell-cell interactions.
• Strong understanding of antibody discovery workflows
• Expertise in experimental design, data analysis, and interpreting complex immunological data sets.
• Extensive immunology lab experience, including flow cytometry (panel design, data acquisition, analysis, troubleshooting).
• Proficiency in primary cell isolation and culture, and in vitro assay development/execution.

Skills & Experience (Preferred)

• Knowledge of immune tolerance, vaccine development, and systems immunology.
• Project management expertise.
• Experience with bioinformatic analysis of proteins and sequences.
• Familiarity with molecular biology techniques.
• Experience developing and implementing laboratory systems.
• Proficiency in FlowJo, and GraphPad Prism software.

About Prellis Biologics

At Prellis we integrate human biology with machine learning. We aim to revolutionize drug discovery by harnessing the power of human immune system with tightly, integrated machine learning to develop next‑generation antibody therapeutics with unparalleled speed, precision and safety. We are committed to empowering our pharmaceutical partners with access to the most promising fully human body candidate rapidly identified from the human immune repertoire, enabling them to bring life‑changing treatments to patients faster than ever before. Prellis Biologics is a pre‑IPO biotech located in Berkeley CA with a team‑oriented, inclusive, and family‑friendly culture. Our growing pipeline target high unmet patient needs across therapeutics including metabolic, inflammation, and oncology disease. Prellis has raised funding from top investors, including Celesta, Khosla Ventures, SOSV, & Avidity Partners.

What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well‑being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we’ll support your journey every step of the way.

The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Application deadline

Prellis does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.

Prellis Bio is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the foundation of our culture. We work hard to bring together diverse teams–grounded in a wide range of expertise and life experiences–and work even harder to ensure those teams thrive in inclusive, growth‑oriented environments supported by equitable company and team practices. All candidates can expect equitable treatment, respect, and fairness throughout the interview process.