Principal Scientist - Analytical Characterization and Optimization of Biologics

About the Role 

As a protein analytics scientist you will be a crucial member of our interdisciplinary team, comprising highly creative and talented individuals, with exceptional expertise in analytical characterization of therapeutic biologics candidates for development. This role is critical for hit generation, lead optimization, and identification of development candidates. The ideal candidate will have a background in mass spectrometry, BLI, cIEF, HPLC (HIC, SEC, etc.), and other analytical techniques with experience in employing automated methods for sample generation and data analysis in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry.

About You

You are an enthusiastic scientist who takes pride in developing analytical methods for protein characterization using automation where appropriate. You are highly proficient in multiple analytical techniques employed for biologics discovery, multi-parameter optimization and development with hands-on experience in preclinical and CMC activities involving complex biologics.  You are an experienced manager who has led technical teams responsible for biologics characterization. 

Key Responsibilities

• Working with hit and lead teams to characterize biologics using a diversity of methods including but not limited to mass spectrometry, BLI, cIEF, HPLC, etc.
• High throughput developability assay development for multi-parameter optimization of biologics. 
• Establish assays to triage leads based on biophysical and molecular attributes of traditional and complex biologics.
• Establish automated sample preparation and data analysis pipelines where appropriate.
• Design and implement data communication protocols and implement best practices.
• Train and mentor junior team members, providing guidance on experimental design, data analysis, and troubleshooting.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of experiments, protocols, and results in accordance with company standards and assist in CMC assay transfer as needed.
• Interpret and present scientific findings at research meetings. Provide scientific input and propose follow-up experiments.
• Collaborate and communicate across diverse research teams to successfully achieve scientific goals.
• Contribute to scientific publications, patents, and presentations to disseminate research findings both internally and externally.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry or related field with 5+ years of industry experience related to analytical characterization of biologics.
• Experience in setting up assays and protocols to analyze biologics samples for discovery and development.
• Experience in CMC analytical method development, technology transfer, and QC attributes is highly desirable.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with meticulous attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively present complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment, fostering cooperation and knowledge-sharing among team members.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior research associates.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with protein production and high-throughput screening workflows.
• Experience using LIMS and Benchling systems.

Compensation

The specific compensation package for this role depends on experience, qualifications and level. We anticipate the compensation range to be $150,000 to $205,000 per year. 

Xaira Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. We thrive on diversity and collaboration, and we welcome candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.