Senior Research Associate / Associate Scientist- Antibody Biophysical Characterization

Prellis Biologics, Inc; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Stock-based incentives

Holiday shutdown

Flexible work model

Job summary

Prellis Biologics seeks a Senior Research Associate/Associate Scientist to characterize therapeutic antibodies biophysically using SPR and BLI. You will develop assays, support antigen QC for immunization campaigns, and collaborate across Discovery, Production, and Data Science to drive end-to-end antibody discovery in a fast-paced setting.

The role emphasizes hands-on lab work, data analysis, and clear communication of results, with potential for growth in a dynamic High Throughput Discovery

Qualifications

• BS or MS with relevant immunology/biotech background and lab experience.
• Hands-on SPR and/or BLI experience with antibodies required.
• Experience in assay design/optimization and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Characterize antibodies by SPR and BLI to determine kinetics and affinity.
• Develop and optimize SPR/BLI assays for discovery projects.
• Support antigen QC and immunization campaigns, ensuring quality materials.
• Collaborate with Discovery, Production, and Data Science teams and document results.

Skills

SPR antibody characterization

BLI assay design

Assay development

ELISA-based screening

Data analysis tools

Lab automation

Cross-functional collaboration

Scientific communication

Education

BS in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biotechnology or related life science

MS in life sciences

Tools

Carterra LSA/LSAXT

Biacore

Octet

Biacore Insight

Octet Analysis Studio

Biomek

Lynx

Job description

The heart of Prellis Bio’s strategy is the combination of novel, cutting-edge methods in machine learning, biology at scale, and next-gen antibody discovery that address long-standing industry-wide problems in the drug development pipeline. Prellis Biologics uses proprietary technology to 3D print human lymph node organoids, enabling the rapid & diverse discovery of human antibody therapeutic candidates for a range of applications. Our growing pipeline spans obesity, inflammation and immunology (I&I), and oncology. To drive this forward, we are assembling an incredible team of discovery biologists, computational scientists, and protein scientists who want to make a difference to this important problem.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Research Associate / Associate Scientist — Antibody Biophysical Characterization to join our High Throughput Discovery group. You will characterize therapeutic antibody candidates using biophysical binding platforms (SPR and BLI) and support assay development for the screening and characterization pipeline, contributing to end-to-end antibody discovery campaigns. You will be responsible for:

• Antibody characterization on SPR platforms (Carterra, Biacore): binding kinetics, affinity determination, and epitope binning and mapping.
• BLI (Octet) supports for antibody discovery: antibody supernatant quantification, antigen QC for immunization campaigns, and affinity measurement.

This role sits within a highly cross-functional High Throughput Discovery group, with significant opportunities to grow and take on new responsibilities. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic, hands-on environment and play a critical role in delivering life-changing therapeutics.

Responsibilities

• Perform SPR-based antibody characterization (Carterra LSA/LSAXT or Biacore) to assess binding kinetics, affinity determination, and epitope binning and mapping across multiple antibody discovery projects.
• Perform BLI (Octet) assays for antibody supernatant quantification, reagents QC, and affinity measurement.
• Develop and optimize SPR and BLI assays — including method design, reference/positive controls, and reagent qualification — to support new antibody discovery projects.
• Support antigen protein QC and characterization for immunization campaigns — confirming binding activity, purity, and stability to ensure high-quality antigen preparations for animal immunization.
• Work with existing lab automation systems and liquid handlers (Biomek, Lynx, or similar) to support high-throughput screening.
• Independently troubleshoot and contribute to protocol optimization for enhanced efficiency and increased throughput.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Discovery, Production, and Data Science / AI/ML, providing technical support for automated workflows and proactive communication.
• Maintain accurate ELN documentation and present experimental results clearly in team meetings.

Qualifications

• Senior Research Associate level: BS in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biotechnology, or related life science field with 4+ years of relevant experience, or MS with 2+ years.
• Associate Scientist level: BS with 6+ years, or MS with 3+ years of direct relevant industry experience. Level can be adjusted based on experience.
• Hands- on experience with SPR-based antibody characterization (Carterra LSA/LSAXT, Biacore, or comparable), including binding kinetics, affinity determination, epitope binning and mapping, and assay development / optimization.
• Hands- on experience with BLI (Octet or comparable) for antibody supernatant quantification, antigen QC, and kinetics/affinity measurement.
• Background in ELISA-based antibody screening (direct, indirect, sandwich, or competitive formats).
• Ability to analyze SPR and BLI data (curve fitting, kinetics extraction, quality assessment) using platform software (Biacore Insight, Octet Analysis Studio) and general data analysis tools (GraphPad Prism, Excel, R, or Python).
• Familiarity with antibody discovery pipelines and biotherapeutics workflows.
• Hands- on experience with lab automation systems or liquid handlers (Biomek, Lynx, or comparable).
• Strong organizational and time management skills to contribute to multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to document and present experimental results.

Bonus Experience

• Experience with additional antibody biophysical characterization methods (e.g., HPLC-SEC, HPLC-HIC, DLS, CE-SDS, cIEF, or mass spectrometry).
• Antibody expression: high-throughput expression, normalization, and purification.
• Hands- on experience in small-scale protein purification using chromatography resins.
• Prior experience in single B-cell antibody discovery workflows with an end goal of identifying novel therapeutic candidates.
• Experience programming or scripting for lab automation (Biomek Method Editor, or comparable).

About Prellis Biologics

At Prellis we integrate human biology with machine learning. We aim to revolutionize drug discovery by harnessing the power of the 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 antibody candidates 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 targets high unmet patient needs across therapeutic areas including metabolic disease, inflammation, and oncology. Prellis has raised funding from top investors, including Celesta, Khosla Ventures, SOSV, and 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.

Actual salary will vary based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

Benefits

In addition to the base salary, Prellis offers compelling benefits based on eligibility, comprising health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save toward retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:

• A competitive employee benefits package, including group medical, dental, and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan
• Stock-based long-term incentives
• Holiday package including a 1+ week winter shutdown
• Flexible work models, including remote and hybrid working arrangements, where possible

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.

Equal Opportunity

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.