Senior Principal Scientist, Biotherapeutics Discovery, Discovery Acceleration Unit

Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH; Ridgefield (CT); On-site; USD 167,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking a Senior Principal Scientist to lead the Discovery Acceleration Unit in Ridgefield, CT. The role focuses on designing, producing, and delivering advanced molecular biology and protein tools to ideate new therapeutic concepts.

The candidate will guide teams in construct design, expression, purification, and characterization, while shaping goals, experiments, and staff development across a dynamic, compliant lab environment.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. with 5+ years of relevant industry experience.
• 4–6 years of leadership and project management experience.
• Expertise in antibody engineering and related design/optimization.
• Hands-on molecular biology, protein expression, purification and characterization.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end protein production workflows.
• Excellent written and oral communication in a cross-disciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Discovery Acceleration Unit to design, produce and deliver molecular biology and protein science tools for new therapeutic concepts.
• Oversee construct design, protein expression, purification and characterization activities.
• Provide scientific and technical leadership to interdisciplinary teams and guide tool selection.
• Propose and implement new R&D goals to strengthen discovery capabilities.
• Develop experimental plans, prioritize projects and interpret data to inform decisions.
• Communicate strategies, progress and risks to teams and senior leadership.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop scientific staff in a collaborative, safe, inclusive environment.
• Ensure compliance with regulations, SOPs, safety standards, and maintain records.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Antibody engineering

Molecular biology

Protein expression

Protein purification

Protein characterization

Communication

Team mentoring

Education

PhD in biochemistry / protein chemistry / molecular biology / related fields

Job description

Senior Principal Scientist, Biotherapeutics Discovery, Discovery Acceleration Unit

Description

Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking a highly skilled Senior Principal Scientist to lead the Discovery Acceleration Unit within the Biotherapeutics Discovery organization in Ridgefield, CT. In this lab head role, the selected candidate will define and deliver innovative tools that support new therapeutic concept ideation.

This role will lead an interdisciplinary team responsible for designing, producing, and delivering innovative tools, including construct design, protein expression, purification, and characterization. As an expert in molecular biology and protein science, the Senior Principal Scientist will guide project teams in selecting fit-for-purpose tools to advance new therapeutic concepts into the portfolio. The role will also propose and implement new R&D and technology goals, develop experimental designs, manage and prioritize multiple laboratory projects, define and communicate tactics to achieve project objectives, plan and conduct experiments, interpret data, and manage and develop scientific staff.

As an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, you will actively contribute to the discovery, development and delivery of our products to our patients and customers. Our global presence provides opportunity for all employees to collaborate internationally, offering visibility and opportunity to directly contribute to the companies' success. We realize that our strength and competitive advantage lie with our people. We support our employees in a number of ways to foster a healthy working environment, meaningful work, mobility, networking and work-life balance. Our competitive compensation and benefit programs reflect Boehringer Ingelheim's high regard for our employees.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the Discovery Acceleration Unit in designing, producing, and delivering innovative molecular biology and protein science tools that enable new therapeutic concept ideation and portfolio advancement.
• Oversee construct design, protein expression, purification, and characterization activities, ensuring tools are fit for purpose and aligned with project goals.
• Provide scientific and technical leadership to interdisciplinary project teams, guiding the selection and application of appropriate tools, technologies, and experimental strategies.
• Propose, evaluate, and implement new R&D and technology goals that strengthen discovery capabilities and support the advancement of multiple therapeutic programs.
• Develop experimental plans, prioritize and manage multiple laboratory projects, interpret complex data, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
• Communicate strategies, progress, results, and risks clearly through technical reports, presentations, and updates to project teams and senior leadership.
• Serve as a subject-matter expert in molecular biology, protein science, and biotherapeutic discovery, maintaining awareness of emerging literature, technologies, and best practices.
• Recruit, mentor, manage, and develop scientific staff while fostering a collaborative, safe, inclusive, and high-performing laboratory environment.
• Ensure all work is conducted in compliance with applicable regulations, SOPs, safety standards, and company policies; maintain accurate records and support budget and resource planning as needed.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in biochemistry, protein chemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology, biophysics, or a related discipline, with five (5) or more years of relevant industry experience, or equivalent experience.
• At least Four (4) years to 6 years of leadership and project management experience
• Demonstrated expertise in antibody engineering, including therapeutic antibody design, construct generation, antibody fragment or multispecific format engineering, affinity maturation, and developability optimization.
• Hands-on experience applying molecular biology, protein expression, purification, and characterization approaches to engineer, screen, and optimize antibodies or antibody-based therapeutics.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end protein production workflows, including construct design, selection of appropriate expression systems, transient and/or stable protein expression, purification strategy, analytical characterization, reagent quality requirements, and fit-for-purpose delivery for antibody discovery and biotherapeutic research.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing in an inter-disciplinary environment

Eligibility Requirements:

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.
• Must be willing to submit to a background investigation, including verification of your past employment, criminal history, and educational background.
• Must be willing to take a drug test and post-offer physical (if required).
• Must be 18 years of age or older.

Compensation Data

The base salary range for this position is $166,600 to $250,000. The position may be eligible for a role-specific discretionary bonus, relocation assistance, and/or other compensation elements. We continuously review market data and may adjust salary ranges as needed in the future. Actual compensation will be based on job-related factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and other factors permitted by law. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement savings opportunities, paid time off, paid holidays, disability and life insurance benefits, and other company-sponsored benefits. For additional information regarding our benefits and Total Rewards offerings, please click here .