Scientist I, Drug Product Analytics (Laboratory Automation)

Vaxcyte; San Carlos (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaxcyte is seeking an energetic scientist to own laboratory automation within Drug Product Analytics, focusing on designing, programming, and deploying automated analytical workflows on Hamilton platforms, starting with the MSD multiplex immunoassay suite.

Ideal candidates bring hands-on experience with Hamilton VENUS, immunoassays, and robust data reporting, with the ability to manage multiple projects and ensure high-quality results in a fast-paced development setting.

Qualifications

• PhD, MS or Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline.
• PhD with 0-2 years; MS with 5+ years; BS with 8+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Senior Research Associate level with strong laboratory automation experience also considered.

Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, programming, and deployment of automated analytical methods on Hamilton liquid handling platforms, serving as the hands-on technical lead responsible for building, testing, validating, and maintaining automated assay workflows within Drug Product Analytics.
• Program, script, and troubleshoot automated methods in Hamilton VENUS software, independently resolving robotic hardware, liquid-handling, labware, and system integration issues to keep automated assays running reliably.
• Execute routine and non-routine analysis of internal release, development, and stability samples using a variety of analytical techniques across Drug Product working groups, ensuring high-quality data generation and reporting.
• Automate, execute, optimize, and continuously improve Vaxcyte's internal multiplex immunoassay (MSD) assay suite, including transferring manual assays onto the automated platform, troubleshooting assay performance, improving robustness, and supporting assay lifecycle management.
• Support analytical comparability assessments including study design, execution, statistical data analysis, and reporting.
• Contribute to method development, qualification, and technology transfer activities, including collaboration with external analytical laboratories and manufacturing CMOs.
• Author and review technical documentation including assay protocols, SOPs, automated method files and scripts, reports, study plans, and technical summaries in support of development and analytical activities.
• Support the Vaxcyte PCV and VAXA1 programs through cross-functional collaboration with Drug Product Development, Formulation, Analytical Development, Quality, and external partners.
• Flexible and collaborative scientist comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced development environment; lab-based role requiring strong scientific judgment, independence, rigor, and meticulous record keeping.

Skills

Automated liquid handling

Hamilton VENUS

Immunoassay

MSD multiplex assay

Lab automation

Scripting

Education

PhD, MS or BS in Chemistry/ Biochemistry/ Biology/ Pharmaceutical Sciences

Tools

Hamilton automation hardware

Venus software

Job description

Join our Mission to Protect Humankind!

Vaxcyte is a clinical-stage vaccine innovation company engineering high-fidelity vaccines to protect humankind from the consequences of bacterial diseases, which have serious and costly health consequences when left unchecked. Working to eradicate or treat bacterial infections such as invasive pneumococcal disease, Group A Strep, and Shigella is just the beginning. Our path to success is clear and well-defined, and Vaxcyte is set up to go the distance.

WHAT we do is every bit as important as HOW we do it! Our work together is guided by four enduring core values:

• RETHINK CONVENTION: We bring creative and intellectual diversity to every facet of the work we do in order to innovate and re-innovate the way vaccines are delivered.
• AIM HIGH: We embody our collectively audacious goal to courageously make the most complex biologics ever attempted to protect humankind.
• LEAD WITH HEART: Everyone leads at Vaxcyte with a kindness-first, inclusive approach to collaboration and vigorous debate that advances our business objectives.
• MODEL EXCELLENCE: The magnitude of our challenge requires our shared commitment to demonstrating integrity, accountability, equality and clarity across communications and decision making.

Summary:

Vaxcyte is looking for an energetic, technically versatile scientist to join our Drug Product Development team and take ownership of laboratory automation within Drug Product Analytics. The primary focus of this role is to design, develop, program, and deploy automated analytical methods on Hamilton liquid handling platforms, beginning with the automation of our multiplexed immunoassay (MSD) suite. The ideal candidate can independently program, script, and troubleshoot robotic systems and can translate manual bench assays into robust, reproducible automated workflows. Practical experience analyzing and characterizing biomolecules (proteins, polysaccharide conjugates, vaccines), particularly by immunoassay and multiplexed immunoassay formats, is preferred; experience with vaccines and adjuvant-containing formulations is a plus.

In addition, Vaxcyte is looking for an experienced and flexible individual who would be comfortable working on multiple projects at once, with fluid prioritization to enable aggressive timelines. This position is for a lab-based scientific role and requires excellent scientific judgement, independence, rigor, and thorough record-keeping.

Essential Functions:

Support the design, development, programming, and deployment of automated analytical methods on Hamilton liquid handling platforms, serving as the hands-on technical lead responsible for building, testing, validating, and maintaining automated assay workflows within Drug Product Analytics.

Program, script, and troubleshoot automated methods in Hamilton VENUS software, independently resolving robotic hardware, liquid-handling, labware, and system integration issues to keep automated assays running reliably.

Execute routine and non-routine analysis of internal release, development, and stability samples using a variety of analytical techniques across Drug Product working groups, ensuring high-quality data generation and reporting.

Automate, execute, optimize, and continuously improve Vaxcyte's internal multiplex immunoassay (MSD) assay suite, including transferring manual assays onto the automated platform, troubleshooting assay performance, improving robustness, and supporting assay lifecycle management.

Support analytical comparability assessments including study design, execution, statistical data analysis, and reporting.

Contribute to method development, qualification, and technology transfer activities, including collaboration with external analytical laboratories and manufacturing CMOs.

Author and review technical documentation including assay protocols, SOPs, automated method files and scripts, reports, study plans, and technical summaries in support of development and analytical activities.

Support the Vaxcyte PCV and VAXA1 programs through cross-functional collaboration with Drug Product Development, Formulation, Analytical Development, Quality, and external partners.

Flexible and collaborative scientist comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced development environment; this role is predominantly lab-based and requires strong scientific judgment, independence in experimental execution, rigor in data analysis, and meticulous record keeping.

Requirements:

PhD, MS or Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or a related scientific discipline. PhD with 0-2 years; MS with 5+ years; BS with 8+ years of relevant industry experience. Other combinations of education and/or experience may be considered. Candidates at the Senior Research Associate level with strong laboratory automation experience are also encouraged to apply. Other combinations of education and/or experience may be considered.

Hands-on experie