Senior Scientist – Protein Design

Here at AstraZeneca you’ll have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives every day. As one of the world’s premier biotechnology companies, our mission is centered on delivering life-changing products that advance world health and help fight and cure disease. As a Senior Scientist in the Early Vaccines and Immune Therapies Unit (Early V&I) in Seattle, WA, you’ll play a pivotal role in channeling our scientific capabilities to make a positive impact on changing patients’ lives.  

The Early V&I team at AstraZeneca is discovering and developing novel vaccines and biologics targeting key viral pathogens.  We are consistently pushing the boundaries of science to deliver life-changing medicines to patients.  Our deep expertise in virology, bacteriology, immunology, and vaccines enables our ability to advance novel therapeutic approaches and technologies to prevent and treat infectious disease.  We have an industry-leading pipeline and offer a unique and strong collaborative network as part of the AstraZeneca family. 

Currently, we are seeking a highly motivated and broadly skilled scientist with scientific and technical expertise in machine learning based computational protein design and structural biology demonstrating a track record of scientific achievement to join the group at AstraZeneca in Seattle, WA.  The Senior Scientist will be a key member of a growing, dynamic team focused on developing next-generation vaccines and antibody therapeutics through the implementation of protein design in the drug discovery process.  The position requires a strong interest in computational protein design work driving projects forward.  AstraZeneca has a dynamic environment that fosters collaboration and innovation as we look to attract and develop top talent. 

Major responsibilities: 

• Perform a range of computational experiments to design and generate novel protein antigens, immunogens, binders, and antibodies that elicit prophylactic immunity or provide therapeutic benefit against clinically relevant pathogens 

• Develop, validate, and maintain novel computational pipelines based on various protein structure software (e.g., deep learning, generative models, structure prediction, docking, and molecular simulation) for protein antigen, binder and antibody design 

• Contribute to new concepts and methodologies in antigen design, protein nanoparticle scaffolding, multivalent display, epitope focusing, and other emerging vaccine technology modalities 

• Leverage structural biology (e.g., AlphaFold, Rosetta, experimental-derived models), large-scale sequence datasets, and literature to guide design hypotheses and perform in silico experiments 

• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organization to translate computational designs into testable constructs and drive projects to successful completion 

• Make detailed observations, perform quantitative analyses, interpret results independently, and propose next-step experiments or model refinements based on in silico and in vitro readouts 

• Scout, evaluate, and integrate new algorithms, tools, and frameworks (e.g., protein language models, diffusion models, active learning) to improve design success rates and reduce cycle time 

• Preparation of precise technical summaries, protocols, quantitative analyses, and maintenance of appropriate documentation 

• Contribute to intellectual property by drafting invention disclosures and working with legal teams on patents related to computational design methods and novel constructs 

• Optimize use of compute resources 

• Oversee the day-to-day organization of different project-related components 

• Publishing of discoveries in high quality, peer-reviewed journals 

Requirements / Qualifications: 

• B.S. in Computational Biology, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Biophysics, Structural Biology or related scientific discipline with 7+ years of relevant experience or  

• M.S. in Computational Biology, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Biophysics, Structural Biology or related scientific discipline with 5+ years of relevant experience or 

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioengineering, Computer Science, Biophysics, Structural Biology, or related scientific discipline with 3+ years of relevant experience.

Specific skills: 

Broad experience required in machine learning, structural biology, and/or biochemistry techniques: 

• Up-to-date hands-on experience with state-of-the art computational protein design methods 

• Proficiency with deep learning for proteins (e.g., protein language models, diffusion/generative models, supervised learning for property prediction) 

• Hands-on experience with structure prediction and design (e.g., AlphaFold/ColabFold, Rosetta, ProteinMPNN, RFdiffusion), docking, and enhanced sampling 

• Extensive hands-on experience with the design, engineering, production, and characterization of protein antigens and/or other complex proteins 

• Extensive knowledge of protein structure and structural biology, including model building, analysis, and structure determination techniques such as X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM 

• Experience with protein biochemistry techniques such as mammalian or bacterial recombinant protein expression, protein purification; and characterization techniques like UV-Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, SEC-MALS, nanoDSF, etc. 

• Experience with molecular biology techniques such as gene synthesis, PCR, cloning, etc. 

• Strong Python experience; software engineering practices (version control, testing, code review); data management and shared compute resource usage 

• Experience in training novel models for protein design and/or modeling is a plus 

• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills together with evidence of having used these to support problem solving and delivery in a team-oriented, collaborative environment 

• Ability to work in a collaborative, fast-paced environment while planning and meeting timelines 

• Proven track record of success in your research and experience preparing written scientific reports (e.g. manuscripts) and oral presentations (e.g. slides, posters) 

• Experience with drafting patents for protein-based inventions is a plus 

• Ability to multitask and prioritize numerous different projects 

• Strong verbal and written communication skills 

Job complexity: Must be able to understand, conduct, and interpret results of technically challenging experiments with minimal supervision 

When we put unexpected teams in the same room, we unleash bold thinking with the power to inspire life-changing medicines. In-person working gives us the platform we need to connect, work at pace and challenge perceptions. That's why we work, on average, a minimum of three days per week from the office. But that doesn't mean we're not flexible. We balance the expectation of being in the office while respecting individual flexibility. Join us in our unique and ambitious world.

AstraZeneca offers an environment where innovation meets opportunity. With constant new products and launches, you'll be part of a team that shapes the future of life-changing medicines. Our commitment to staying ahead in rapidly changing markets drives us to continuously seek new ways to deliver medicines to patients. Here, you'll find a safe space to share ideas and problem-solve alongside a diverse team of experts connected across the globe. We thrive on challenges and embrace them as opportunities to learn and grow.

The annual base pay for this position ranges from $ 116,284.00 - $174,426.00. Base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. In addition, our positions offer a short-term incentive bonus opportunity; eligibility to participate in our equity-based long-term incentive program. Benefits offered included a qualified retirement program [401(k) plan]; paid vacation and holidays; paid leaves; and, health benefits including medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Additional details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment. If hired, employee will be in an “at-will position” and the Company reserves the right to modify base pay (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

Ready to take the next step in your career? Apply now and become part of our dynamic team!