We are seeking a highly accomplished and motivated Principal Scientist with a PhD in Immunology to lead and drive immunology-focused research, assay development, and immune cell characterization initiatives within our R&D team. The ideal candidate brings rigorous academic immunology training combined with a minimum of 6 years of progressive professional working experience in biotech/pharmaceutical industry, with specialized expertise in flow cytometry-based immune cell profiling and pharmacodynamic (PD) assay development, validation, and implementation. This role will be pivotal in supporting drug discovery, preclinical and clinical development programs, delivering high-quality immunological data to advance therapeutic candidates from early-stage research to clinical development.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, execute, and troubleshoot complex immunological experiments, analyze large-scale flow cytometry and PD assay data using specialized software and interpret results to generate data-driven scientific conclusions and actionable recommendations.
- Apply advanced flow cytometry techniques to perform comprehensive profiling, phenotyping, and functional analysis of various primary immune cell subsets (including T cells, B cells, NK cells, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, granulocytes, and other innate/adaptive immune cell populations) from preclinical animal models, human peripheral blood, and tissues samples.
- Provide technical mentorship and scientific training to junior scientists, research associates, and lab technicians on flow cytometry operations, immune cell isolation/handling, and PD assay methodologies; establish and standardize SOPs for immunology assays to ensure data accuracy, reproducibility, and lab efficiency.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with drug discovery, preclinical development, clinical research, analytical development, and regulatory teams to align immunology strategies with overall program milestones, and support study design for preclinical and clinical trials.
- Prepare detailed scientific reports, study protocols, and regulatory documentation; present research findings to internal leadership, cross-functional teams, and external partners; contribute to scientific publications, conference presentations, and patent applications.
Required Qualifications & Skills
- Educational Background: PhD degree in Immunology, Molecular Immunology, Cellular Immunology, or a closely related biomedical science discipline, with formal specialized training in immunology.
- Industry Experience: A minimum of 6 years of full-time professional working experience in biotech, pharmaceutical, or related life sciences industry, with proven track record in immunology research and assay development.
- Technical Expertise:
- Advanced proficiency in flow cytometry: multi-color panel design, instrument operation, data acquisition, high-dimensional immune cell phenotyping, and functional immune cell analysis for diverse primary immune cell populations.
- Extensive experience in all stages of pharmacodynamic (PD) assay development, optimization, validation, and data analysis for preclinical and clinical research.
- Hands-on experience in primary immune cell isolation, culture, stimulation, and functional characterization from human and animal samples.
- Scientific Knowledge: Deep and up-to-date scientific knowledge of cellular and molecular immunology, immune system regulation, immune cell function, and therapeutic modulation of immune responses.
- Data & Analytical Skills: Strong quantitative data analysis skills, experience with flow cytometry analysis software and statistical analysis tools; ability to interpret complex immunological data and drive scientific conclusions.
- Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present scientific data, write technical reports, and collaborate effectively across cross-functional teams.
- Problem-Solving: Strong troubleshooting skills for experimental and assay-related challenges, with a proactive and results-driven approach to research.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting immuno-oncology, autoimmune disease, or inflammatory disease therapeutic development programs.
- Experience with clinical sample analysis and clinical PD biomarker development.
- Publication record in peer-reviewed immunology or pharmaceutical research journals.
- Experience leading cross-functional R&D teams and managing external research collaborations.