Principal Scientist, Cell Therapy Translational Biology Research

Bristol-Myers Squibb; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 152,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Time Off

Comprehensive benefits

Stock opportunities

Paid holidays

Job summary

Bristol Myers Squibb's Cellular Therapy Translational Biology Research group in Seattle, WA, seeks an experienced Principal Scientist to lead laboratory-based translational studies across oncology and autoimmune indications. You will design experiments, generate data to support regulatory decisions, collaborate across disciplines, and mentor junior scientists in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.

Strong communication and scientific publishing skills are essential as you contribute to IND

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD with 4+ years experience in Life Sciences.
• Experience leading lab-based translational biology projects.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead focused research projects with independent design and interpretation.
• Direct and execute lab research to characterize product function and inform clinical interpretation and indication strategy.
• Lead non-clinical data packages to support regulatory submissions and indication expansion for cell therapy programs.
• Contribute to biomarker strategy and patient stratification approaches to guide clinical decision-making.
• Lead the development, design, and optimization of novel in vitro assays and models to advance translational research objectives.
• Investigate the impact of manufacturing and process changes on product functional comparability to support regulatory filings and process decisions.
• Represent Translational Biology on cross-functional program teams spanning Discovery, Clinical, Regulatory, and Manufacturing.
• Contribute to the writing of non-clinical pharmacology study reports, investigator brochures, IND applications, regulatory annual reports, and other regulatory documents when appropriate.
• Coordinate external collaborations and/or be the subject matter expert.
• Act as a technical point of contact and mentor to junior scientists.
• Present data and analysis at cross-functional program meetings; contribute to conference abstracts, manuscripts, and patent disclosures.
• Contribute to lab stewardship initiatives to support productivity, safety, and inspection readiness.

Skills

Experimental design

Biomarker analysis

Flow cytometry

Independent research

Cell therapy

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s Degree

Ph.D. or equivalent

Tools

Incucyte

JMP

GraphPad Prism

Job description

At Bristol Myers Squibb, our employees often ask, “Who are you working for?”—a question that fuels collaboration, accountability, and urgency in our work. Our purpose-driven culture inspires us to discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines to prevail over serious diseases. We offer uniquely interesting and meaningful work, opportunities for growth, and a supportive environment that values inclusion, wellbeing, flexibility, and comprehensive benefits. This is work that transforms the lives of patients, and the careers of those who do it. The Cell Therapy Thematic Research Center is one of BMS’s differentiated research platforms delivering innovative therapies to patients. Our mission is to drive leadership in the use of cellular therapies to harness the power of the immune system in treating hematologic malignancies, solid cancers, and autoimmune disease. More specifically, our discovery and translational scientists are focused on developing next‑generation, engineered cell‑based therapies. The team is committed to discovering and developing transformative therapies that harness the power of the immune system to improve patient outcomes.

Position Summary

The candidate will join the Cellular Therapy Translational Biology Research group in Seattle, WA. Translational Biology is a lab‑based research team supporting clinical‑stage cell therapy assets, accelerating clinical product development by translating biology into clinical and regulatory decisions. The Principal Scientist will conduct laboratory‑based research focused on clinical‑stage cellular therapy assets across oncology and autoimmune indications. This includes contributing to mechanism of action studies, drug combination studies, biomarker identification, and generation of data that supports patient stratification, indication selection, and the pharmacodynamic evaluation of therapies in the clinical setting. The successful candidate will be an experienced, self‑motivated, and resourceful researcher responsible for driving and implementing non‑clinical development strategies across these cell therapy assets.

Position Responsibilities

• Develop and lead focused research projects, exercising independent judgment in experimental design, execution, and interpretation
• Plan, direct, and execute laboratory research to characterize product/candidate function and inform clinical interpretation and indication strategy
• Design and lead non‑clinical/translational data packages to support regulatory submissions and indication expansion for cell therapy programs
• Contribute to biomarker strategy and patient stratification approaches to guide clinical decision‑making
• Lead the development, design, and optimization of novel in vitro assays and models to advance translational research objectives
• Investigate the impact of manufacturing and process changes on product functional comparability to support regulatory filings and process decisions
• Represent Translational Biology on cross‑functional, multi‑disciplinary program/project teams spanning Discovery, Clinical, Regulatory, and Manufacturing
• Contribute to the writing of non‑clinical pharmacology study reports, investigator brochures, IND applications, regulatory annual reports, and other regulatory documents when appropriate
• Coordinate external collaborations and/or be the subject matter expert
• Act as a technical point of contact and functional mentor to junior scientists
• Present data and analysis at cross‑functional program and team meetings; contribute to conference abstracts, manuscripts, and patent disclosures
• Contribute to lab stewardship initiatives to support productivity, safety, and inspection readiness

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree 8+ years of academic and / or industry experience
• Or Master’s Degree 6+ years of academic and / or industry experience
• Or Ph.D. or equivalent advanced degree in Life Sciences 4+ years of academic and / or industry experience

Preferred Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, or relevant discipline
• M.S. with 6+ years or Ph.D with 4+ years of experience, preferably in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry setting, or demonstrated deep experience in immunology or cell therapy academic research
• Expertise in immunology or cellular biology is required, knowledge of fundamentals of oncology and/or autoimmune and inflammatory diseases is desirable
• Familiarity with and experience in the drug development process from IND filing to late stage development in an industry setting is desirable
• Demonstrated ability to independently design, execute, and interpret complex experiments, adapting standard methods and techniques as needed
• Expertise in flow cytometry and cell culture/imaging techniques
• Experience with Incucyte software, JMP and GraphPad prism
• Experience analyzing high content (eg, transcriptomic, proteomic) datasets
• Experience with Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELN) and detailed protocol/process documentation is required
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, evidenced by strong ability to interact with and influence research scientists, project teams, and outside collaborators
• Detail‑oriented with the ability to identify and implement creative solutions
• Ability to prioritize and manage time efficiently

Compensation Overview

Seattle - WA: $152,360 - $184,628 The starting pay range(s) listed above is for full‑time employees (FTE). You may also be eligible for additional discretionary incentive cash and stock opportunities. We determine starting pay thoughtfully – carefully considering the nature of the role, required skills, work location, schedule and the knowledge and experience you bring. Final compensation is guided by pay equity principles and applicable employment laws. Compensation programs are reviewed on an ongoing basis and may be adjusted over time to reflect evolving market factors, and individual, team or Company performance.

Benefits

• Subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans then in effect, you may be eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefit plans – including wellbeing support, retirement and financial protection benefits, and insurance offerings (medical, dental, vision, life and disability).
• U.S.-based exempt employees are eligible for Flexible Time Off (FTO), which provides paid time off without a set accrual limit, subject to manager approval, along with 11 paid company holidays each year.
• Non‑exempt employees, RayzeBio employees, and employees located in Puerto Rico receive 160 hours of paid vacation annually for new hires (subject to manager approval), 11 paid company holidays, and 3 optional holidays.
• Depending on eligibility, employees may also have access to additional time‑off benefits, including paid sick leave, up to two paid volunteer days per year, summer hours flexibility, and leaves of absence for medical, personal, parental, caregiver, bereavement, or military needs.
• Eligible employees also enjoy an annual Global Shutdown between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
• U.S.-based job seekers can explore full benefit offerings at https://careers.bms.com/benefits

How We Work

Where you work matters – because collaboration, innovation and patient impact happen in many settings. Our roles are structured across four work models: site-essential, site-by-design, field-based and remote-by-design. The model assigned to this role is based on its core responsibilities. Learn more at https://careers.bms.com/ways-of-working.

Supporting People with Disabilities

BMS is dedicated to ensuring that people with disabilities can excel through a transparent recruitment process, reasonable workplace accommodations/adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Applicants can request a reasonable workplace accommodation/adjustment prior to accepting a job offer. If you require reasonable accommodations/adjustments in completing this application, or in any part of the recruitment process, direct your inquiries to [e-mail]. Visit careers.bms.com/eeo-accessibility to access our complete Equal Employment Opportunity statement.

Candidate Rights

BMS will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, pursuant to applicable laws in your area. For roles based in Los Angeles County only: If you live in or expect to work from Los Angeles County if hired for this position, please visit this page for important additional information: https://careers.bms.com/california-residents/

Our Culture

We’re creating innovative medicines for patients fighting serious diseases. We’re also nurturing our own diverse team with inspiring work and challenging career options. No matter the role, each one of us makes a contribution. And that makes all the difference.