Role Title: Senior Scientist - Biopharmaceuticals
Duration: 12 Months
Location: Stevenage
Rate: 24.61 p/h - PAYE
Who Are We - GSK?
We are a science-led global healthcare company with a special purpose: to help people do more, feel better, live longer. GlaxoSmithKline plc was formed in 2000 as a result of a merger between Glaxo Wellcome plc and SmithKline Beecham plc, although our history can be traced back more than 300 years to London’s Plough Court Pharmacy in the 1700s.
Our goal is to be one of the world’s most innovative, best performing and trusted healthcare companies. Our strategy is to bring differentiated, high-quality and needed healthcare products to as many people as possible, with our three global businesses, scientific and technical know-how and talented people. Our values and expectations are at the heart of everything we do and form an important part of our culture:
• Our values are Patient focus, Transparency, Respect, Integrity
• Our expectations are Courage, Accountability, Development, Teamwork
Role purpose / summary
Biopharm Discovery within GSK is a department dedicated to the discovery of novel and effective biopharmaceutical medicines. This department comprises several complementary functions focused on the progression of a portfolio of biopharmaceuticals from initial antibody discovery, expression and characterisation to molecular engineering, biological and physiochemical profiling. Within the Biopharm Discovery Unit, the Molecular Design and Engineering (MDE) group takes accountability for antibody engineering and developability profiling prior to candidate selection to continuously improve molecule quality and transform discovered leads into potential therapeutics.
We are currently seeking an enthusiastic, dynamic and self-motivated scientist to join the Developability Technologies group within MDE, working within a matrix team. The role will be primarily lab focused, working with various scientists with diverse skill set (e.g. protein biochemists, in vitro and ex vivo assay scientists and antibody pharmacologists). It will involve using high throughput methods to rapidly profile large panels of antibodies and performing interpretations on the generated data in the early discovery phase. These activities will focus on in vitro prediction of antibody characteristics during exposure in vivo
• Running high throughput methods to predict in vitro antibody characteristics during exposure in vivo, which might include chromatography based analytical techniques (SEC-HPLC, CIEX-HPLC) as well as ELISA and flow based methods.
• Design, qualify and execute experiments to characterise antibody panels e.g. non-specific binding measurements using flow cytometry and ELISA methods as well as determining binding of antibodies to antigen after incubation in serum.
• Utilizing automated liquid handling systems to execute experiments
• Planning, designing and executing experiments to enable key decisions
• Working independently to analyse and interpret your data, providing clear recommendations to project teams
• Effective recording and communication of your work in lab notebooks, lab reports and publishing/presenting both internally and externally
• Working effectively in matrix teams and delivering defined objectives in accordance with agreed timelines
• Demonstrate exemplary scientific habits, actively keeping up to date with relevant literature and new technologies
• Adhere to safety and other company rules and regulations, maintain lab equipment and reagents when appropriate
• Developing & implementing high throughput methods to predict in vitro antibody characteristics during exposure in vivo
Key Skills/ requirements
To be successful in this role, you’ll ideally:
• Graduate or post graduate degree in Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology or other relevant discipline;
• A track record of recent scientific success through relevant post degree experience in academic or industrial science;
• Independence and competence performing relevant analytical/ biological research techniques ( in one or more of the following: immunoassay, flow cytometry, SEC- HPLC );
• Demonstrated ability for experiment design and a variety of data analysis methods including an understanding of statistics;
• Can demonstrate scientific knowledge of antibody structure and function;
• Experience of the use and design of automated solutions to scientific workflows including liquid handlers;
• Ability to adapt quickly to new scientific areas & work across teams
Preferred Qualifications & Skills:
• An understanding of the antibody discovery process;
• Proficient in automated data analysis and/or visualization software;
• Good understanding of antibody clearance mechanisms and related concepts
All profiles will be reviewed against the required skills and experience. Due to the high number of applications we will only be able to respond to successful applicants in the first instance. We thank you for your interest and the time taken to apply!
Join GSK’s vision to do more, feel better and live longer:
https://www.youtube.com/user/gskvision/
Who will I be working with?
http://www.gsk.com/en-gb/careers/meet-our-people/