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Senior/ Principal Scientist of AI-Driven Protein Engineering

Waltham, Massachusetts, United States

Senior/ Principal Scientist of AI-Driven Protein Engineering

Dragonfly Therapeutics is seeking an innovative, self-motivated Senior/ Principal Scientist (title commensurate with experience) with a passion for driving novel immunotherapy programs forward. We are looking for a candidate with deep expertise in machine learning, computational biology, and wet-lab protein biochemistry, with demonstrated experience in developing and applying AI-driven approaches to design and optimize protein therapeutics.

As a key member of our team, you will design and In Silico tools to optimize biologics for therapeutic properties. You will collaborate closely with wet lab scientists to integrate in silico designs into experimental workflows, with a focus on high-throughput processes and process optimization in addition to molecular optimization.

The ideal candidate will thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, bringing a combination of intellectual curiosity, scientific rigor, and a collaborative spirit. They must be independent, goal-oriented, and flexible, capable of driving multiple projects simultaneously.

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

  • Develop and apply machine learning-guided technologies for antibody design and optimization in close collaboration with wet lab teams
  • Utilize state-of-the-art modeling tools and partner with cross-functional teams focused on biologics discovery, protein engineering, production, and characterization
  • Create novel strategies and enhance existing methods to predict antibody function from sequence and structure
  • Design and implement approaches to model antibody-antigen interactions and make recommendations to the project teams to prioritize molecules, including affinity maturation, species cross-reactivity, epitope binning, and epitope mapping
  • Identify and mitigate potential liabilities such as immunogenicity risks and develop strategies for derisking molecules throughout early development
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders to optimize computational infrastructure to deliver innovative solutions
  • Effectively communicate complex scientific ideas to both technical and non-technical audiences, fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams

Qualifications:

  • Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Synthetic Biology, Computational Biology, or related fields, with 5+ years of industry experience
  • Proven expertise in developing and applying AI/ML models for biotherapeutics design and optimization
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, and experience with common bioinformatics tools and software
  • Expertise in protein modeling and structural analysis software (e.g., Rosetta, RoseTTAFold, AlphaFold, MOE, Schrödinger, or equivalent)
  • Hands-on experience in wet-lab protein engineering, protein biochemistry, or characterization is a strong plus
  • Strong understanding of high-throughput experimental design and process optimization to enable efficient biologics development
  • Experience with assessing and mitigating potential development risks related to biologics is highly desirable

About Dragonfly

Dragonfly Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to discovering, developing and commercializing therapies that use its novel multispecific antibody technology to harness the body's immune system to bring breakthrough treatments to patients. In addition to its wholly owned clinical assets, Dragonfly has a deep pipeline of wholly owned preclinical candidates discovered using its proprietary platform, as well as productive collaborations with Merck, AbbVie, Gilead and Bristol Myers Squibb in a broad range of disease areas. 

Our mission is to revolutionize disease treatment by inventing natural killer cell-based therapies for vastly improved patient outcomes. We believe in a small team with a big impact.

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