Senior Immunologist - Vaccine Development

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); On-site; ZAR 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

State-of-the-art facilities

Professional growth opportunities

Conference attendance

Job summary

Placements24 in Mpumalanga seeks a Senior Immunologist to lead vaccine design and efficacy testing. You will manage projects, design assays, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to advance preventative medicine in a resource-rich environment.

The role requires a PhD in Immunology or related field and 5+ years in immunology/vaccine development, with expertise in flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISpot, and cytokine analysis. Leadership and publication track record are valued.

Qualifications

• PhD in Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or related field required.
• 5+ years post-doctoral or industry experience in immunology with vaccine development or infectious diseases focus.
• Proven expertise in immunological techniques (flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISpot, cytokine analysis).

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of immunological studies to evaluate vaccine candidates.
• Develop and optimize assays to assess humoral and cellular immunity.
• Investigate mechanisms of action and protective immunity from vaccine candidates.
• Analyze complex data and generate insights for vaccine development.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of scientists.
• Manage research projects including budgets and timelines.
• Mentor junior scientists and research associates.
• Prepare reports and manuscripts; present findings at conferences.
• Contribute to IP portfolio and patent applications.

Skills

Flow cytometry

ELISA

ELISpot

Cytokine analysis

Functional immune assays

Vaccine development

Infectious diseases

Scientific publications

Education

PhD in Immunology or related field

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge biotechnology company located in Nelspruit , is seeking a highly skilled Senior Immunologist to lead critical research and development efforts in vaccine design and efficacy testing. This role is pivotal in advancing our understanding of immune responses to various pathogens and in developing innovative vaccine candidates. The successful candidate will manage research projects, design and execute complex immunological assays, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of scientists. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to significant public health advancements in a dynamic and resource-rich environment within Mpumalanga . You will be at the forefront of immunological research, shaping the future of preventative medicine.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of immunological studies to evaluate vaccine candidates.
• Develop and optimize novel assays for assessing immune responses, including humoral and cellular immunity.
• Investigate mechanisms of action and protective immunity conferred by vaccine candidates.
• Analyze and interpret complex immunological data, generating actionable insights for vaccine development.
• Collaborate closely with virologists, bacteriologists, molecular biologists, and formulation scientists.
• Manage research projects, including resource allocation, timeline management, and budget oversight.
• Mentor and supervise junior scientists and research associates.
• Prepare high-quality scientific reports, manuscripts for publication, and present findings at international conferences.
• Contribute to the intellectual property portfolio and patent applications.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Immunology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in immunology, with a focus on vaccine development or infectious diseases.
• Demonstrated expertise in a broad range of immunological techniques, including flow cytometry, ELISA, ELISpot, cytokine analysis, and functional immune assays.
• Experience with various vaccine platforms and challenge models is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of adaptive and innate immune responses.
• Proven ability to design, conduct, and interpret complex immunological experiments independently.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a record of scientific publications and presentations.
• Demonstrated leadership and mentoring capabilities.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions, and generous paid time off.
• You will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities and equipment in Nelspruit .
• Opportunities for professional growth, attending scientific conferences, and contributing to impactful vaccine research are abundant.
• We foster a collaborative and innovative work environment dedicated to improving global health.