Principal Scientist, Antigen Characterization

Site Name: USA - Massachusetts - Cambridge, Rockville Vaccines
Posted Date: Oct 13 2024

Principal Scientist, Antigen Characterization

At GSK, we have bold ambitions for patients, aiming to positively impact the health of 2.5 billion people by the end of the decade. R&D is committed to discovering and delivering transformational vaccines and medicines to prevent and change the course of disease.

The US Structural Biology Center of Excellence (CoE) at GSK, a new joint Vaccine and Pharma Center, will be established in Cambridge, MA in 2025. The mission of the CoE is to apply the full range of structural biology, protein biochemistry, and computational tools to design vaccines as well as to antibodies, biologics, and small molecules. This position is hosted in the Antigen Characterization Lab within CoE. The main function of the lab is to bridge the design with preclinical efficacy, by providing data driven decisions for candidate selection.

We’re looking for a passionate and highly motivated scientist to join our lab. As a principal scientist, you will be at the center of our protein expression, purification, biochemical, biophysical and structural characterization operations. You will need to demonstrate scientific knowledge in the workflow from gene-to-structure; abilities to troubleshoot problems along the process in a timely fashion. You are also expected and encouraged to be innovative by developing new assays to provide insight on tough targets such as multi-component complex, virus like particles, membrane bound proteins. Your results and workflow are expected to be transferable to GMP productions. These tasks require active collaboration with diverse teams to address key challenges that are close to the clinical stage.

This lab-based position will initially be located at the GSK’s Rockville site in Maryland from 2024 to late 2025, and will permanently move to Cambridge, Massachusetts afterwards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop design strategies, screening assays to support vaccine or medicine lead identification, validation for project progression.
• Perform molecular biology, protein production, biochemical, biophysical characterization to identify suitable conditions and deliver reagents for structural and animal studies.
• Provide scientific insight for the projects based on the experimental results and literature information.
• Timely document your work to support reagent and intellectual property needs by other groups.
• Author, present and publish research findings either internally or externally.
• Share the management and maintenance duty of the lab equipment.
• Keep current with the latest developments and techniques in the field and mentor other researchers as needed.

Basic Qualifications:

• PhD degree in a protein biochemistry or structural biology related field with 3+ years of post-doc or relevant industry experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of laboratory experience in the scope of protein biochemistry.
• Two or more years in the construct and protein expression optimization with multiple host systems such as bacterial, yeast, insect and mammalian cells.
• Two or more years of experience in protein purification with chromatography systems.
• Two or more years of experience in conducting biochemical, biophysical and high-resolution structural experiments and interpreting the results.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience as a major contributor for novel high-resolution structures in recent years.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and strong communication skills to present findings and collaborate with the team.
• Experience on antigen designs based on structural analysis.
• Experience with biochemical and biophysical high-throughput screening assay development.
• Industrial research experience in molecular biology, protein biochemistry, macromolecular crystallography, cryo-EM or other related discipline.

The annual base salary for new hires in this position ranges from $111,350 to $150,650 taking into account a number of factors including work location within the US market, the candidate’s skills, experience, education level and the market rate for the role. In addition, this position offers an annual bonus and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program which is dependent on the level of the role. Available benefits include health care and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, paid holidays, vacation, and paid caregiver/parental and medical leave.

Please visit GSK US Benefits Summary to learn more about the comprehensive benefits program GSK offers US employees.

Why GSK?

Uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

GSK is a global biopharma company with a special purpose – to unite science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together – so we can positively impact the health of billions of people and deliver stronger, more sustainable shareholder returns – as an organisation where people can thrive. We prevent and treat disease with vaccines, specialty and general medicines.

Our success absolutely depends on our people. While getting ahead of disease together is about our ambition for patients and shareholders, it’s also about making GSK a place where people can thrive. We want GSK to be a place where people feel inspired, encouraged and challenged to be the best they can be. A place where they can be themselves – feeling welcome, valued, and included. Where they can keep growing and look after their wellbeing. So, if you share our ambition, join us at this exciting moment in our journey to get Ahead Together.

If you require an accommodation or other assistance to apply for a job at GSK, please contact the GSK Service Centre at 1-877-694-7547 (US Toll Free) or +1 801 567 5155 (outside US).

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer and, in the US, we adhere to Affirmative Action principles. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, disability, genetic information, military service, covered/protected veteran status or any other federal, state or local protected class.