Research Scientist II - Surfaceome Target Discovery And Biotherapeutic Development

The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard is the world's leading biomedical research institute dedicated to the bold mission of using the full power of genomics to transform the understanding and treatment of disease. We seek to describe all of the molecular components of life and their connections; discover the molecular basis of major human diseases; develop effective new approaches to diagnostics and therapeutics; and disseminate discoveries, tools, methods, and data openly to the entire scientific community.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Scientist to join Surfaceome and Biotherapeutic Development projects. This role will focus on leading projects to discover novel therapeutic antibodies and oversee the biological validation workflows. You will be responsible for moving candidates from initial discovery through rigorous functional testing to ensure clinical potential. This collaborative effort is a close collaboration between the Cancer Cell Line Factory and Sellers lab at the Broad Institute. The early discovery works will include comprehensively characterizing the cell surface proteome of cancer and normal cell models to validate the next generation of cell surface targets for large molecules and cell therapies. Our efforts focus on a subset of key cancer lineages, and we have secured grant funding and external partnerships to enable these projects. The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with a deep interest in target discovery, platform development, and an unending scientific curiosity. The candidate will have a chance to develop leadership skills in this position which will report directly to the Senior Director.

Responsibilities:

• Validate surface target expression using techniques such as flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and other relevant assays.
• Lead the biology components for antibody and other large molecule discovery and validation projects.
• Engineer bispecific proteins using a range of platforms and technologies, with an emphasis on improving efficacy, stability, and optimizing biotherapeutic formats (e.g. ADC, ADCC).
• Perform molecular design, construct generation, and DNA and vector engineering using state-of-the-art software and tools.
• Expression and purification of engineered proteins using mammalian and microbial expression systems.
• Conduct/collaborate biophysical and functional characterization (e.g., SPR/BLI, HPLC, ELISA, MS) to evaluate binding kinetics, stability, and conformational integrity.
• Collaborate with assay development teams to establish in vitro and in vivo systems for functional evaluation of bispecific candidates.
• Supervise work executed through CROs.
• Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with the center for the development of therapeutics, oncology, and translational science teams to guide therapeutic discovery and preclinical development.
• Pipeline Contribution: Support integration of bispecific antibody candidates into the pipeline, providing data and strategic insights for IND-enabling studies.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Lead scientific initiatives, manage project timelines, and mentor junior scientists or research associates.
• Manage and mentor Research Associates.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for platform expansion and innovation.

• Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or related fields is required.
• At least 3 years of post-graduate professional technical experience in a research environment.
• Strong scientific expertise in target biology and therapeutic target validation, with the ability to translate biological insights into actionable discovery strategies
• Proven expertise in antibody discovery, engineering and characterization.
• Familiarity with antibody optimization techniques, including display technologies (e.g., phage, yeast, or mammalian).
• Hands-on experience with modern molecular biology techniques, protein engineering, and structure-guided design.
• Demonstrated proficiency in protein expression, purification, and characterization techniques.
• Familiarity with antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), T-cell engagers, or other immune-based therapeutic modalities is a plus.
• Proficiency in data analysis software (e.g., Prism, MATLAB, PyMOL) and molecular biology tools (e.g., SnapGene, Geneious).
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with attention to detail and data interpretation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively convey scientific findings and project updates.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Experience in developing, managing, and mentoring junior scientists is a plus.