Senior Scientist - Antibody Discovery

Senior Or Principal Scientist

Location: London, UK

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

The Opportunity

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced biologics scientist to play a key role in designing and advancing next-generation antibody therapeutics. You will bring extensive hands-on expertise in antibody engineering, affinity maturation, and developability assessment while partnering closely with computational biology and machine learning teams to translate biological insights into clinic-ready molecules.

The ideal candidate will have personally designed and optimized therapeutic antibodies and contributed to biologics programs from target validation through candidate selection and IND-enabling activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead biologics discovery programs from target validation through lead optimization and candidate selection.
• Design, engineer, and optimize antibody molecules using experimental data to guide progression decisions.
• Drive modality selection across antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, and fragments.
• Design and execute discovery strategies aligned to Target Product Profiles (TPPs).
• Apply expertise in:
• Antibody discovery and engineering
• Affinity maturation and CDR engineering
• Developability assessment
• Mechanistic characterization and potency optimization
• Design and interpret cell-based functional assays and biophysical characterization studies, including:
• SPR/Biacore
• BLI/Octet
• Binding, potency, and selectivity assays
• Collaborate closely with Computational Biology, Machine Learning, Translational Science, DMPK, Toxicology, and CMC teams.
• Partner with CROs and external collaborators, overseeing study design, data interpretation, and program progression.
• Contribute to scientific strategy and act as a key technical leader within the biologics group.
• Mentor junior scientists and contribute to publications and scientific visibility.

Required Experience

• PhD in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Protein Engineering, Pharmacology, Cell Biology, or a related discipline.
• Significant industry experience in biotech or pharmaceutical biologics drug discovery.
• Proven track record progressing antibody programs through:
• Target validation
• Hit identification
• Lead optimization
• Candidate selection
• IND-enabling studies
• Deep expertise in:
• Therapeutic antibody design and engineering
• Affinity maturation and CDR optimization
• Developability assessment
• Biologics discovery cascades
• Molecule progression decision-making
• Hands-on experience with:
• Cell-based functional assays
• SPR/Biacore
• BLI/Octet
• In vitro pharmacology
• CRO management
• Strong understanding of biologics modalities, including antibodies, bispecifics, ADCs, fusion proteins, and fragments.
• Experience working in highly cross-functional, matrixed environments.

Interested in learning more?

Please contact HLX Life Sciences for a confidential discussion regarding this opportunity.