Senior Scientist, Protein Engineering & Manufacturing

Exthymic; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401k match

Job summary

Exthymic is an early-stage deep-tech startup focused on making curative cell therapies widely accessible. We seek a technical leader for protein reagents in our consumables, guiding discovery, production, and QC while mentoring a small team.

You will partner across platforms to ensure reagents and assay readouts fit together and contribute to IP filings. You will drive robust expression, purification, labeling, and conjugation methods, manage external partners, and scale processes to deliver

Qualifications

• Ph.D. plus 6+ years in industry related to proteins or antibodies.
• Hands-on leadership of protein/antibody programs from discovery to characterization.
• Experience with recombinant protein expression, purification, and analytics.
• Experience with conjugation/labeling chemistries.
• Track record of production-ready protein reagents with defined specs and QC.
• Experience managing CROs or external partners.
• Experience mentoring scientists and researchers.
• Comfortable in an early-stage startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Set scientific strategy for proteins in consumables from selection to characterization.
• Drive discovery, engineering, and optimization programs with internal or external partners.
• Build robust expression, purification, labeling, and conjugation methods at scale.
• Define QC specs and analytical methods for identity, purity, activity, and stability.
• Direct CROs and manufacturing partners; protect IP and transfer methods.
• Mentor scientists and research associates to maintain rigor and documentation.
• Collaborate with surface, cell, hardware, and software teams to align readouts.
• Identify inventions and contribute to disclosures and patent filings.

Skills

Protein engineering leadership

Protein expression & purification

Bioconjugation & labeling

CRO management

Mentoring scientists

Cross-functional collaboration

Startup experience

Antibody/protein program leadership

Education

Ph.D. in biochemistry, protein engineering, molecular biology, immunology, or related field

Job description

Exthymic is an early-stage deep-tech startup focused on making curative cell therapies widely accessible. We seek a technical leader for protein reagents in our consumables, guiding discovery, production, and QC while mentoring a small team.

You will partner across platforms to ensure reagents and assay readouts fit together and contribute to IP filings. You will drive robust expression, purification, labeling, and conjugation methods, manage external partners, and scale processes to deliver