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Director, (Senior Principal Scientist) Antibody Generation and Engineering 

At Bayer Pharmaceuticals, our mission is to pioneer innovations that treat the untreatable, cure diseases, and instill hope. Join in if you aspire to make a meaningful impact within a vibrant community of creative and diverse professionals dedicated to transform drug discovery. We believe your career journey should be guided by your distinct skills and ambitions, not merely defined by your job title. Bring in your passion and unique perspective and join us in our mission to transform the future of healthcare through cutting-edge research and innovation. Your unique contributions will help shape the next generation of pharmaceutical advancements and products.

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Therapeutic Antibody Drug Hunter with a strong background in antibody-drug conjugates.  In this role you will provide enterprise-level scientific leadership and orchestrate and influence in a matrix team multiple projects involving antibody-drug conjugates from early research through clinical candidate selection. You will contribute to advance our pipeline by conceiving new ideas, steering complex studies and CROs, and serving as a primary advisor and problem-solver across teams. You will co-create and evolve our strategic positioning, excellence in external and internal capabilities and innovation in alignment with the broader R&D strategy. As one of the organization’s “go-to” leaders for antibody-drug conjugates, you will be translating cutting-edge science into impactful therapeutic opportunities in the field of oncology, cardiovascular research or immunology. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in leading projects and in developing antibody conjugates with small molecules, oligonucleotides or peptides as the payload.

YOUR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The primary responsibilities of the Director, (Senior Principal Scientist) Antibody generation and engineering are to: 

• Share responsibility and ownership for project and development candidate goals throughout the discovery process as project leader or cross-functional team member
• Provide innovative solutions for antibody conjugates to address unmet needs and design differentiated drugs, be an expert for project teams, mentor peers
• Lead antibody generation and optimization for developing new potent innovative leads fulfilling their target product profile
• Support molecule design and optimization with fit-for-purpose conjugation techniques for antibodies, antibody formats, small molecule payloads, oligonucleotides and peptides
• Provide state-of-the-art techniques to the lead generation and optimization process, including lead discovery, antibody design, analytics, conjugation chemistry, separation techniques, and developability assessment
• Build interfaces and cooperation with other research units such as disease area discovery units for candidate screening, characterization, selection and structured and efficient data exchange and decision making
• Be an active stakeholder of the drug discovery ecosystem at our Boston site, and a catalyst for innovation into the organization using the Boston biotech ecosystem
• Be a driver of strategic clarity, co-create strategies and guidance with stakeholders and co-create differentiated product opportunities
• Be a driver of innovation and take ownership with your peers to further develop and innovate in antibody and conjugates lead discovery and optimization
• Generate and secure intellectual property for all projects
• Ensure high safety standards and compliance
• Manage resources efficiently

WHO YOU ARE

Required Qualifications:

• PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, immunology, biotechnology or related field
• Long-term experience in Antibody (BMOL) drug discovery with deep knowledge of literature and industry practices
• Understanding of the lead generation and lead optimization process up to preclinical development candidate
• Proven scientific and project leadership capabilities
• Experience in developing antibody conjugates in cardiovascular/renal, oncology or immunology
• Good command of the research landscape and market understanding
• Knowledge of state-of-the art antibody discovery processes and innovative tools in BMOL research, including data and large data set analysis
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills; intercultural skills and team orientation
• Enjoys working in self-organized teams owning and accountable for the value chain
• Fluent in English and ideally German

Preferred qualifications:

• 12+ years of relevant post-PhD experience including 4+ years in industry is preferred, with a proven record of successful team leadership and interaction with collaborators 

Employees can expect to be paid a salary between $169,680.00 - $254,520.00. Additional compensation may include a bonus or commission (if relevant).  Additional benefits include health care, vision, dental, retirement, PTO, sick leave, etc.

This salary range is merely an estimate and may vary based on an applicant’s location, market data/ranges, an applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees and certifications, and other relevant factors.

This posting will be available for application until at least 05/05/2026