Vancouver, BC, CAN
Associate Scientist, Antibody Discovery & Engineering
Company Description
Zymeworks is a publicly listed (NASDAQ:ZYME) clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development and commercialization of next-generation, bispecific and multifunctional biotherapeutics, initially focused on the treatment of cancer. Zymeworks' suite of complementary therapeutic platforms and its fully-integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly-differentiated product candidates.
Why Work With Us
Nothing is more critical to our success than the quality of our team. The work we do is meaningful and impactful - we care about each other as well as the patients we serve. We offer challenging career opportunities, competitive benefits and an environment that recognizes and rewards performance.
Zymeworks is proudly headquartered in our brand new, net-zero facility located in the vibrant Main St biotech hub of Vancouver, BC, with operations in Bellevue, WA, Dublin, Ireland, Singapore and the Bay Area.
About the Position
Zymeworks is seeking a motivated Associate Scientist to join the Antibody Discovery and Engineering (ADE) group within the ADC Therapeutic Development department. The ADE group is responsible for the discovery of therapeutic antibodies against tumor-associated antigens for the treatment of cancer, encompassing antibody generation, humanization, formatting, engineering, and functional characterization, on the path towards generating Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) therapeutics. The ideal candidate will have a background in protein science and protein engineering, be able to interact across functional groups and capable of working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. The successful candidate will be responsible for supporting pipeline program advancement and will be part of a dynamic and motivated team with an opportunity for growth and learning of various drug development stages.
This position is primarily office-based and will be located in Vancouver, BC. This role is hybrid with a minimum of 3 days per week onsite.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform research and feasibility studies into proposed pipeline projects.
- Participate in the development of plans, schedules and experiments of assigned research projects/programs.
- Design expression constructs for antibody and protein production
- Perform/assist in in-silico humanization and any other engineering aspects using proprietary and other software packages.
- Oversee protein production, purification and characterization at CRO or in-house
- Ensure generation of high quality, reproducible data to assist in the selection of lead therapeutic molecules and for elucidation/validation of targets for therapeutic development.
- Analyze, interpret and present data and makes recommendations for future investigations and project progression.
- Identifie opportunities to improve existing methods and technologies for project advancement.
- Keep up with ongoing projects through attention to internally generated data.
- Assist in preparation of patent applications, research reports, and/or scientific papers.
- Adhere to standard procedures for generating, documenting and archiving data.
- Foster effective and collaborative working relationships with fellow employees and management.
Education and Experience
- PhD in a scientific discipline (Biochemistry, Molecular or Cellular Biology, Structural Biology or related field) or MSc with 3-4 years of experience.
- Experience with construct design for recombinant protein production, with focus on maximizing yield, purity and protein behavior
- Experience with protein purification (e.g. IMAC, protein A/G/L, IEX, and SEC).
- Experience with protein analytical techniques, which should include some of the following: PAGE, CE-SDS, SEC-MALS, cIEF, HIC, Western Blotting, ELISA, SPR, BLI, KinExA, MSD, UPLC-SEC, DSC, DSF, DLS.
- Good understanding of protein structures, protein-protein interactions, and protein chemistry
- Experience with structure visualization software (Pymol, Chimera, CCP4, COOT, etc.).
- Some experience/familiarity in computational modeling of proteins and structure prediction (Haddock, Rosetta, AlphaFold etc.)
- Ability to troubleshoot and contribute to the development of new methodologies/processes to address scientific questions.
- Proven interpersonal skills with the ability to work collaboratively as a member of a cross-functional team. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
- Good organizational skills and the ability to work effectively in a high paced, fast changing environment while balancing multiple activities. Results-oriented individual.
- Demonstrated scientific analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Critical observation skills and good statistical analysis capability.
- Good oral, presentation, and scientific/technical writing skills.
- MS Office proficiency.
- Recommended:
- Broad understanding of antibody-based therapeutics field
- Experience with diverse systems for recombinant protein expression (mammalian cells, E. coli, insect cells)
- Familiarity with antibody discovery approaches and antibody structure
- Familiarity with artificial intelligence approaches in the field of protein engineering
Total Rewards
We offer a comprehensive total rewards package, which includes competitive salaries, generous benefits, an outstanding work environment, and excellent opportunities for professional growth. We regularly benchmark our compensation against leading biotechnology companies in our geographies.
The Canadian base salary range for this full time position is $86,000 - $132,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location.
The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position across all Canadian locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by a variety of factors and the salary offered may vary depending on the successful candidate’s location and qualifications (including, but not limited to, job-related knowledge, education, training, skills, and experience).
Please note that the compensation details listed in role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.
Our team enjoys:
- Industry leading vacation and paid time off
- Excellent health and wellness benefits
- Zymelife health and wellness benefits
- Paid time off to volunteer in your community
- Matching country specific pension savings program
- Employee Share Purchase Program
- Employee Equity Program
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or disability.
NOTE TO AGENCIES: Zymeworks values our relationships with our recruiting partners. We only accept resumes from those partners who have been contracted with us. Zymeworks is not responsible for any fees related to resumes that are unsolicited or are received without contract.